Silent Hill: Home is Where The Nightmares Are
by prhoads3
Summary: Meredith is a broken girl after a violent attack and the death of her lover. when a series of gruesome murders leaves clues to her past she must venture once more to her hometown of SIlent Hill. there she must face her nightmares and fears, her Order member father, and the darkness that threatens to consume her. before its too late she must find answers and rescue an old friend


Pausing at the edge of the ravine, I glanced back over my shoulder. Rain dripped into my eyes causing me to squint. Lighting flashed illuminating the surroundings in a horror movie luminescence. Despite the lighting, no thunder could be heard only my haggard breathing

Again lightning flashed highlighting the road along with the skid marks tattooing the tarmac. They banked at a sharp angle into the muddy shoulder where I now stood. Bits of glass twinkled like a thousand mirrors whenever the lightning flashed

Ahead, the guardrail had exploded outwards as if a monster had taken a bite out of it. My jeans snagged on the jagged edges yet I headed no care. A force drew me on like a magnet beckoning me forward. Around me, limbs had been sheared off from the low hanging spruce trees. Like a magician's trick, the tire tracks disappeared over an edge where I paused. With an air of trepidation, I stared down into a tree choked darkened abyss. Lighting flashed like a thousand camera flashes showing me the horrific scene at the bottom

Twenty feet down, a giant had wrapped my lover's navy blue 66 VW Beetle around a stout pine tree. Limbs decorated the top of the vehicle which had been crushed inwards like a soda can. Two tires lay discarded like children's toys while the back bumper stuck out of the ground like an obscene statue.

I've told my lover countless times to replace the Beetle with a safer car. Adamantly, she told me the Beetle had been her first car, a gift on her sixteenth birthday from her father. Besides, she told me it went with free spirited hippie attitude. Did she realize the car also would become her coffin?

With nimble steps I skirted the edge scaling down the slippery slope careful of every step. My feet plunged into pockets of mud thick as oatmeal chilling me to the bone. Countless times I braced myself with gnarled tree roots before proceeding on. At the bottom, I darted around the tires as dread weighed heavy in my stomach. Looking up, I fought the urge to abandon my curiosity despite the magnetic pull. Swallowing bile, I trudged forward knowing this wouldn't end well

Nearer I drew with my skin slick with rain which plastered my clothes to me like a second skin. Even with the lightning, the darkness down here seemed oppressive almost living. Glancing around, nothing malevolent attacked me as I approached the car. As I reached for the driver's door, a blood curdling shriek arose from the metal sarcophagus.

Stumbling, I tripped on a root landing with a squish on my rear end. Like a coffin opening in a monster movie, the driver's door creaked slowly open. From within, my lover's six foot frame shambled forth as my screams caught in my chest. Crawling away, I stumbled to my feet as my lover pursued me like a zombie. Screaming my name, she sloshed through the quagmire of mud as lightning flashed again.

Scrabbling for purchase, I desperately scaled the sodden earth as my lover pursued me. Like a marionette, her arms flopped from side to side with the left on broken and dangling by a thread. Her hands had been her life blood able to create anything from her imaginative mind. Numerous times, she made me jealous the way she painted or sculpted with such ease. Now those calloused hands reached for me ready to drag me into the pit from which she arose.

"Meredith" She wailed the sound carrying eerily up towards me.

When I met Willow in freshman year of high school, her full blooded Cherokee beauty had drawn me in. That day had been nine years ago and now the creature following me no longer possessed the alluring beauty. Twisted at a sickening angle, her rounded cherub face had been crushed in on one side like a tomato. The mahogany colored skin had been peeled away like a banana's jacket. One coal black eye dangled out of its socket while the other fixed accusingly on me.

"Why are you running away? I thought you loved me" She croaked in a witch's voice as she shambled closer

Closer and closer, the top of the ravine drew as I fought the urge to look back. If I did, Willow would freeze me in my tracks like Medusa then drag me into the Hellish pit that had spawned her. With a herculean effort, I dragged my exhausted body over the edge. With my muscles on fire, I bolted away from the pit and towards the road. Three steps away from freedom, a harsh breathing caused me to turn around against my will.

Shrouded in her waist length raven black hair, Willow's features were hidden in a sea of shadows. Paralyzed, my legs failed to obey me as panic seized me. Off in the distant, an air raid siren blared as a dense ground fog spewed from the trees.

"Love" She whispered then flung her hair back. Instead of a ruined face, a hole yawned maliciously at me. Blood seeped from the edges as she swayed from side to side "Come home. Come home to Silent Hill love. I am waiting for you" Then she caught me off guard as she leapt at me pinning me to the ground

Drowning out my screams, the air raid siren blared louder as Willow closed the dripping maw over my head.

Awaking abruptly, I choked for air as the din of the siren droned in my ears. A sense of smothering encompassed me as all my senses went numb. Opening my mouth, I attempted to scream yet only managed a low squeak. Cold terror sweat oozed from me mixing with my hot tears. Rolling over, violent body spasms racked me as blackness swam in my vision. Curling into a fetal ball, I fought to overcome the crippling effects of the nightmare. Breathing slowly, my world finally returned to normal after a few uncertain minutes.

Coughing hard, I shoved my achy four foot eight frame into an upright position. Glancing at the clock, six thirty glowed in neon red numbers. Various pills bottles squatted on top like miniature soldiers. Since the nightmares started five months ago, I've awoken like clockwork night after night.

Rubbing my damp cheeks, I turned to face the other side of the bed

"Willow" I croaked staring at the silent memorial to my late lover

A dog eared paperback mystery lay sprawled on her pillow like a dead bird. If I knocked it off, I returned it to Chapter 12 where my lover stopped reading. Despite my bed smelling like a gym bag, I left the suede sheets in place along with the pillow cases. Her fuzzy pink robe dangled from the bed post while her bunny slippers eternally slept on her sewing case.

Grabbing our high school graduation photo, I stared at it as if it would solve everything. Instead, it acted like a time machine transporting me back to when my world collapsed

Three months ago, I had planned on a surprise party for Willow celebrating eight years of being lovers. Our romance started in the freshman year of high school. I came across as a socially awkward, quiet, emotionally withdrawn teenager with trust issues and a black cloud over my head. Willow came across as the exact opposite making friends easily, talkative and socially interactive. When I spotted her one day, my inner voice told me I could trust her unlike the other students. It took me a year before I approached her and when I did; my world took a dramatic positive turn. Both of us became fast friends then lovers further erasing the black cloud over my head.

After a whirlwind high school romance, we decided on enrolling at the same college in Bangor at nineteen. Our lives passed by in bliss as we each sought out our dream jobs. It seemed nothing could ruin our life until one fateful evening in March when I was twenty one. Willow had an early morning class while I had a class late in the evening. On my way home from class, three assailants blitzed me on a corner dragging me screaming into an alley. Though barely five feet, I fought like a pissed off wildcat to no avail as they each took a turn at me. Lucky for me, they each wore protection but it didn't decrease the suffering they inflicted on me. I've never experienced such a soul tearing blinding pain as I did that night. It felt like they had ripped my heart out as I lay bleeding in a pile of garbage. Demoralized, I staggered into the street where a passing patrol car discovered me and I remembered nothing else until I awoke in the hospital. My physical wounds healed quickly yet my emotional and mental wounds slowly festered. First, I dropped out of school not wanting to be around groups of people nor being near the scene of the attack. Second, I introverted again, sulking around our flat for days at a time sometimes never leaving the bed. And third, my relationship with Willow faltered as I pushed her further away. Knowing I didn't want to lose her, I accepted her help finally which lead to a painfully slow recovery over the next three years.

Then three months ago on a stormy April night, Willow had worked late preparing for a huge art show. Meanwhile, I prepared her favorite meal along with decorating the house awaiting her arrival. When the hours melted away and she didn't show, I became increasingly worried. At ten, a soft knock happened upon the front door. When I opened it, my heart dropped as my world shattered like fine china. Standing on the porch, Sheriff Winters Droopy Dog face and baleful eyes told me the whole story. Being an old friend of my uncle's he had personal delivered the bad news.

On her way home, a drunk driver had forced my lover's car off the road. She broke through the barrier winding up wrapping her car around a tree killing her instantly.

I spent the next week in a fugue rarely eating nor sleeping. Being a girl who rarely showed emotion, no one could guess what I had planned. After Willow's funeral, I hung a suicide note on the front door then hiked into the woods behind the house. There I sat for three days willing my nerve to put the noose around my neck and jump. Finally I lost my nerve and instead sealed myself away in the house with my ghosts.

"Fuck!" I screamed as the ringing of the phone broke my concentration. Clutching my heart, I stared at the phone as if it were a ten foot cobra. With a shaky sweaty hand, I reached for it then hesitated. Phone calls this early usually meant bad things had happened. Steeling my nerves, I clamped my hand over it then answered it.

"What?" I said sounding drunk

"Meredith?" Sheriff Clay Winter's smoky southern voice replied. I imagined him propped in his chair looking like Barney Fife. "Hate to bother you but our perp struck again"

"Fuck Winter, when did it happen?" I replied suddenly feeling cold.

"Girl went missing about eleven" A sound of rustling papers could be heard "Then we got a call about three saying about an abandon van on the road. After checking, we found evidence that it belonged to our killer. Good new though, the girl looked like she got away"

"Good" I said then hesitated as a bell rang in my head. Winters description sounded too vague with the important details being omitted but for what reason? What could he be hiding and how would it effect this recent development? The burden on my shoulders seemed to increase in mass as I rose off the bed

"Okay, what are you holding back?" I said my tone forced and a little bitter. If the sheriff didn't come clean I would hang up on him. Gone were the days when I had the patience of a saint

"Okay, there is more but it's best if you come in girl"

"Why?" The old familiar sting of tragedy prickling my skin

"Just come in alright" Winters responded sounding old and worn out

"Fine" I answered but the Sheriff had already hung up

As I stared out onto the moonlight lawn, I realized things were now speeding out of control. Feeling dead, the task at hand would be herculean if I could muster any strength at all. After washing and changing, I started on the long road to Brahams

Driving through the endless gulf of night, I became aware my life was approaching a climax. The final chapter would soon be written but would it end well with me finally overcoming my demons? Or would it end tragic with my demons swallowing my soul resulting in my death? Judging by the last few months of my life, the ending would be a tragedy straight from Shakespeare. Besides if I died, I could finally be reunited with Willow.

"What a lonely drive" I sighed speeding along the wooded road,

Outside the autumn coolness felt refreshing to the touch. Since the rain last night, the air hung heavy with a pine scented dew. Breathing in the woody perfume perked me up temporarily

As I drove deeper into the night, my mind flashed back to two months ago. Still mourning Willow, the murders took me and Brahams completely by surprise. Held up in my fortress of misery, I watched as a black cloud descended upon the town.

Murder number one occurred on a blistering July night. The bartender of the Blue Dolphin in Brahams discovered the body as he dumped the trash. Wrapped in a cocoon of plastic, the butchered face of Julie McKnight stared at him with empty eyes. Just twenty three, Julie had just enrolled at the local college hoping for a career in teaching. Instead, somebody had unleashed a vindictive rage against her slicing her throat from ear to ear. To go along with the second mouth, the killer had gouged out her eyes with a jagged edge weapon. Her once boyish good looks had been reduced to a battered and broken mess. Like a fish, the killer had eviscerated her with her female organs stuffed down her throat. To go along with the butchery, her auburn hair had been died a dirty blond and cut short and green contacts added.

The coroner in all his twenty two years on the job had never experienced this level of carnage. Despite scouring the scene, no evidence could be found but the autopsy revealed a clue. Inside her body, the coroner discovered three paper dolls worn from age. From that day forward, all the other victims would be killed in the same manner along with a surprise in their bodies and the haircut and contacts.

Two days later on July third, a jogger discovered the body of Emily Orange propped on a bench like a gruesome mannequin. Inside her body, they found a set of marbles along with three more paper dolls. Just hours later, a homeless man stumbled over the body of Tina Banks who had various fishing lures embedded into her skin

After the third victim, a horrible truth dawned upon me. Studying the reports more thoroughly, I realized each of the victims had been students at the same high school I had gone to. Though I rarely interacted at school, these girls were also friends of Willow who I used to talk to. The biggest surprise came when I discovered the objects on the bodies were keepsakes from my childhood. Objects I had treasured dearly in a lifelong dead to me. To add to the sense of dread, each victim had been dressed up to represent my mother at a young age. She had died two years ago due to a lengthy battle with breast cancer

"Seriously Meredith, I don't buy this whole business of these objects being from your past" Winters told me two days after the third murder when I visited him with the development I found

"Serious as a heart attack. Just let me look at them and I will prove my suspicion is true" I replied

After examining the objects, the reality had smacked me hard in the face. Why would anyone want to desecrate my mother's name? Or could there be another motive besides the obvious one?

"The marbles were a gift from my grandma. The lures are my grandpa's he gave me for my seventh birthday. And the paper dolls I constructed when I was six"

"Okay how did the killer get them?"

"No clue Winters"

"And you said the victims look like your mom but who would have a grudge against her?"

"Yeah Winters they do. They each had their hair cut to have short to shoulder length blond hair. Each girl had green eyes and around their mid-twenties. That's when my mom had me. Again no clue, I had a father and older brother but they died sixteen years ago in" But I hadn't dared to say the last word for fear of old memories coming back to haunt me.

"Silent Hill. I know you were born in Silent Hill" Winters had interjected "Anybody from that creepy town who might still hate your mom?"

"Not that I know of" I sighed, the town's name weighing black and heavy on my heart. Fourteen years ago I left that place hoping to never return. Could this killer be wanting revenge or could he be using these girls to call me home but for what reason?

From that day forward, Winters kept me in the loop consulting me on further murders. Three days later after our meeting, two more victims turned up draped across headstones at the local church.

Like a plaque, a statewide manhunt ensued which included the FBI and the Maine State Police. The feds had set about setting up a profile of the killer in hopes of catching him before he struck again. Each scene was scoured again in hopes new evidence could be discovered along with the toys found on the victims. Despite thoroughly combing over all aspects of each murder, no breaks were found. But due to this frenzy, no more victims turned as July disappeared into August then into September.

"But now there is a new murder that has set the stage for what hopefully could be the final scene" I Said aloud as Brahams appeared on the horizon

Pulling into the lot of the Brahams Police Department, a light drizzle splattered my windshield. Parking, I collapsed head first onto the steering wheel listening to the rain ping on the roof. After collecting my thoughts, I checked my expression in the mirror. A living corpse stared back at me with hollow bloodshot faded green eyes. A slight tick had formed under my left eye. I kept my purple dyed hair parted over the right side of my face due to the scar I suffered in my attack. Sucking my lip ring, I peeled back my hair but when the puckered scar appeared I cringed away from the mirror. Summoning up my energy, I bolted out of the truck heading for the front door

As soon as I entered, a sense of relief hit me making me lightheaded. In these hallowed walls, the voices of my inner demons quelled down to a low murmur. The pain of Willow's death subsided to a manageable level. Breathing in the musty piney scent, I felt renewed able to conquer anything set before me.

Climbing the twin set of oak steps, I entered into the foyer where the rain pinged off the glass dome. No soul could be seen but I could hear faint voices from farther in the building. A pungent odor of bleach tickled my nose as I hung a right towards an L shaped alcove and the sheriff's office.

Pausing at the half open door, I could hear faint snoring followed by an occasional grunt. Sheriff Clay Winters had been etched in the frosted glass in the middle of the door. Carefully, I cracked open the door moving with the stealth of a ninja. With his feet propped on his desk, Winters looked like a sheriff in the old west. His office as well screamed Wild West being furnished in tacky furniture and various knick knacks. Above me, a faux white buffalo head stood guard with crossed Cavalry swords crossed underneath. Behind the sheriff, a case gleamed with soft light highlighting an extensive gun collection. One corner near the window had been reserved for a pot belly stove and rocking chair which Winters called his thinking space.

Sneaking across the squeaky floor, I stood in front of his massive walnut desk then slammed my fists down. Several hand carved wooden Indian figures giggled a dance as Winters bolted awake

"Jimmy Cricket" He hollered tipping dangerously backwards in his chair. Twisting, he corrected himself collapsing face down on the desk.

"Sheriff" I said showing no humor in the scare I just pulled. Humor along with a lot of other emotions died along with Willow

"Sweet Georgia peach, you could give me a heart attack at my age Meredith" He responded glaring hard at me. Winters possessed a tall sinewy body with his cowboy boots adding an extra two inches. His salt and pepper hair had been cut close to his near lobe less ears. Piercing blue eyes lay under a finely chiseled brow with a hooked nose like a bird of prey. Yet his face sagged around his small mouth and walrus mustache like a basset hounds. Like his office, he kept his uniform neat and in order. Following the manual, he kept his slacks and shirt with a crease so sharp it could cut skin. His cowboy boots glistened with a high polish while his belt and holster creaked with oil

"SO what were you hiding on the phone?" I questioned him as I dropped into a deep seated chair

Before moving to Brahams, Winters had retired from the U.S. Calvary at forty after enlisting at eighteen. Though he wanted to travel, the itch of being in command again drove him to seek a career in law enforcement. Since he never married, he decided to move when Brahams sought offices to fill several spots. Being dedicated and loyal, he shot through the ranks like a bullet and after eleven years, the town elected him sheriff.

"Well where should I start?" He answered handing me a cup of coffee

"Just fucking spill it okay" I snapped slamming the mug on the table. One of Winters bad habits was he always mulled over things before came to a conclusion. With my short temper, I wanted to choke the truth out of him

"Gees easy"

"Sorry it has been a long night" I apologized as I rubbed my face

"It's alright" Winters said as he sat down with his chair letting out a content squeak "JoAnn McClure is 24, about six two and works as a sub at the local high school." He flung a manila envelope over at me.

"Oh no not you" My words tumbling out of me like an avalanche. An iron band squeezed across my chest which choked off my air as I stared into intently at her face. Straw colored hair fell gracefully over slender shoulders and a rounded face cherub face with skin the color of caramel. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with the left one being her lazy eye. Pouty lips formed a wide mouth which she had parted into a sideways smile. In high school, Joann had been the essential tomboy athletic type who carried an I'm not taking your shit attitude. I fell in love with her yet never followed those feelings and instead fell for Willow. Now seeing her face again, those old feelings stirred within me as I fought to control my emotions

"She left the Blue Dolphin around ten" Winters waved me off when I recognized the bar from the first murder "She called her sister around 10:05 and it should have taken here around 15 minutes to walk home through well-lit streets. At 10:30, JoAnn didn't show so her sister, who she lives with, started calling her. Anyway around 11:10, her sister panicked and fearing her sister had fallen prey called us. We immediately put out an APB and started scouring the area around the bar. Sad to say, we found no clues to where JoAnn went to"

Winters stifled a yawn then stretched his frame like a cat's "Then an ominous call came in around 3 saying about an abandoned Ford Eco line van along the road with nobody home. When we checked it out, I'll tell you Meredith, we hit the jackpot"

"What do you mean?" I asked

"We found tarps, rope, duct tape and zip ties similar to the ones the killer used. There was human blood in the bed of the van and we found these" He reached across his desk and retrieved three white boxes. Opening them, a fillet knife, a skinning knife and a K Bar glinted evilly in the light. "All tested positive for blood. We found the killer's murder mobile"

Wincing at the sound of the name, I went to ask him where they found the van when Winters continued on

"We found Joann's purse, cell phone and a bracelet belonging to her in the back. It looks like she somehow freed herself and put up a fight because we found her fingernails and blood on the driver's seat. When we scanned the road, we found an earring, a necklace, another earring and a ring all like breadcrumbs leading towards" Here Winters stopped as his mood suddenly darkened. Casting his eyes on the floor, he rose from his chair bent over like an old man. Slowly, he walked to the window as his kneaded his hands behind his back. A great burden weighed on his back as he fumbled for his words

"Where did you find them Winters?" My words forced with an acidic tone

Leaning forward against the window, Winters said "21 County Road about two miles from Silent Hill"

Those weren't just words Winters spoke but daggers of ice. Sharp, lethal and poisonous they ripped through me freezing my blood solid

Swallowing thickly, the coffee turned into a bitter sludge in my mouth. Vertigo swam through my head causing me to sway in my chair. The air around me seemed to grow heavier and denser attempting to smother me. With my mind reeling, I only caught snippets of what Winters said to me

"Going to search the woods, this sicko appears to murder the girls in Silent Hill; you were right about this being personal"

"I'm going" I blurted out with my words thick and muddled as if I had too much to drink. Lurching out of the chair, I toppled left but grabbed the desk for balance. Narrowing my eyes at the sheriff, I started for the door feeling like I've lost control of my body

"Meredith" Winters shouted followed by an ear splitting whistle as if he was calling a dog. The urge to jump across the desk and smash his face into the glass cabinet arose. Clenching my fists, I waited for the volcano to mellow before answering

"Leave me be Clay" My words sharp as a surgeon's scalpel "I aim to end this do you understand"

"No you are not" Winters voice rose in timbre like thunder gathering on the horizon. No longer did he appear old beyond his years but a powerful commanding force similar to his service days. He fixed hard accusing eyes on me that caused me to hesitate. I've known Winters for fourteen years and never seen a drop on anger from him. Now, seeing him angry, I cowered before him like a disobedient child

"Look we do this my way do you understand" when I nodded yes, he continued on "You can come to Silent Hill with the search party but if you disobey me, I'll throw your ass in jail girl. I was a personal friend of your mom's and this bastard has gotten to me too. I don't want to lose you too. Now where are you going?"

"Home" I muttered as I admitted defeat

"And you will stay home until I call you do you understand?" Again I nodded yes then turned to leave with my tail between my legs

"Don't worry Meredith, we will catch him" Winters hollered as I headed for the steps

"Maybe you will Winters" I thought as I headed out into the drizzle "But you may have to more bodies on your hands when this is all down"

When I arrived home, I collapsed against the front door as I cried softly. Falling on my side, I fought against the crushing burden of my depression. Lying there in the darkness, I decided to heed Winters' advice. In my condition, going alone would surely consume me ending in my death. My inner voice told me that haven't you sought the embrace of death for the last few months? Curled up in the foyer, I listened to the ticking of the clock as I contemplated on what to do.

"This fucker kills people I've known, he's gotten hold of my childhood mementoes and my mom is at the heart of it but why?" I said aloud to the emptiness "But what can I do? I'm just an emotionally ruined little girl with no hope of making a difference"

As I wallowed in my self- pity, a sudden chill folded over me like a blanket. Shivering, I rose off the floor looking for the source of the cold. At the end of the hallway, I thought I saw a familiar shadow in the bedroom. Seated on the bed, the figure turned towards me then faded into the gloom

"Willow" I whispered, clutching my heart as a wave of agony coursed through me like bitter poison. When it passed, I decided to end this nightmare alone and if it meant dying, then it would be a blessing. No one would miss me and I could be with my love forever.

Stiffly, I walked to the bedroom where I opened a drawer on my nightstand. After my attack, I bought a .45, a big gun for a little girl, for protection. Willow disliked me having the gun in case the thought of suicide popped into my head. Gripping the cold steel, euphoria washed over me at the thought of blowing away the asshole who's been messing with my life.

Going to the closet, I dug out Willow's leather jacket as I breathed in her scent. With a furious pace, I packed a bag with a few essential items. Though I appeared gung ho, a primal fear burned within causing me to question my judgment. Long ago, I used to face up to my problems doing all I could to solve them. Since my attack, it's been easier to stuff them down deep inside hoping they would go away. Now I needed to steel my nerves and solve this problem. Again my inner voice chimed in telling me I wouldn't be just facing a serial killer in Silent Hill

"Ghosts can't hurt me or can they?" I asked myself but I couldn't stand around too long in case I talked myself out of going

Collecting my gear, I left the house with the very real possibility I wouldn't be returning.

Though the rain had ceased, a bitterly cold wind sheared through the trees ferociously as I pulled away from the house. Multicolored leaves fluttered in the breeze bringing about a harbinger of fall. I adverted my eyes temporarily as I passed the teepee Willow had built under a spacious oak tree. We had plans of using the structure in our wedding. Waving goodbye, a light ground mist followed me like a loyal dog as I headed north.

Once I drew close to Brahams, I took great caution in avoiding the police station and the good sheriff. Right now, he would be busy organizing a search looking like General Patton before a battle. Quickly I drove through the back way before I decided on joining him instead of going alone. After leaving Brahams in the distance, I started on County 21 Road drawing closer to home. Even with the heater on, a chill filled my bones which had nothing to do with the weather.

When I packed my things, I didn't include a map for even after all these years I remembered the layout of that town. If my assumptions were correct, JoAnn would have headed towards to Old Part of Silent Hill which included Balkan Church, the school and my old home. Sighing, I forced the notion of JoAnn already being found by the killer and dispatched. If we made it out alive, I would spill my feelings for her but the likely hood of that happening didn't appear promising. Even slimmer were the chances of finding her at all for there were a lot of places to hide. Maybe she kept leaving a trail to follow but I doubted that for the killer would find her first. With a deserted road ahead, I floored the accelerator hoping I wouldn't be too late

Around me, the stands of pines and firs glinted blue and green in the early morning light like the colors on a billiard table. Along the road, the mist had thickened taking on the texture of smoke.

"_Willow would have loved this drive" _I thought as I looked at the deep seas of shadows on each side. Hopefully, these shadows didn't conceal the brutally butchered body of JoAnn.

As I drove further along, I began to think back to the very reason I and my mother left Silent Hill fourteen years ago. People say there is evil in this world that can consume the human soul even if the person is pure. For me, that statement held true for my father and the force that overwhelmed him.

A lifelong resident of Silent Hill, many people described my mom Carol as an alluring haunting beauty who could stop people dead in their tracks. She kept her whitish blond hair short falling straight to the top of her ears. More of that snowy hair formed delicate eyebrows arching over her feline green eyes. One became mesmerized when they beheld her gaze. Carol had a small slightly snub nose, full sensuous lips which formed into a mischievous smile and a Q shaped scar under her nose. Slender as a willow and barely five feet, I used to think of my mother as an elf princess.

Around six four, my father, Daniel, fit the image of a Canadian lumberjack to a t. A coarse fiery red beard framed his perfectly round head with curly locks on top. Icy blue eyes stared out from heavy fleshy lips with a bulbous nose in between. Heavily muscular with slabs of meat for hands, my father intimidated a lot of people. Despite appearing like a cruel giant from a fairy tale, my father started out with a heart of gold being a loving, overprotective father.

Carol had met Daniel one hazy summer day when she visited an aunt in Shepard's Glen. That day, there had been a picnic celebrating town pride. Like always, my mother had stood out from the crowd her snow white hair dazzling against a lemon yellow dress. As my father waded through the throngs of people, his eyes had been drawn to her siren like beauty. My mom had said to me how he had approached her like a man in a dream. Just teenagers, they started a Shakespearean romance due to the objections of their parents. Countless times, they had snuck off to secluded parts of Silent Hill just to be alone. Finally after graduating, they couldn't contain their love for one another. Running away, they had married in secret before returning to Silent Hill to settle down.

Working at the Lakeview Hotel, my mother had spent her free time down by the shores of Toluca Lake. There she had painted beautiful gothic landscapes of the town and the surrounding areas. When not working at the hotel, she had worked at the Lakeside Amusement Park across the way. In turn, she used to receive free passes to the delight of her children. When not working, she had taught art, sewing and pottery classes out of the house. When she had first my brother Jacob then me, she had doted on us twenty four hours a day. Whatever we wanted, she had made sure we had it and showed us off while beaming with motherly pride.

Working at Alchemilla Hospital, my father, like my mom, had doted on my brother Jacob first then me four years later. Every free moment, he had spent teaching us whether showing Jacob how to tie knots of showing me how to play baseball. I remember times when he dressed up and would help me reenact plays in the backyard.

All went well for our family until I turned five and my brother nine. Overnight, a black cloud shrouded our perfect world for we found out our father was wearing a mask. His loving caring attitude was a ruse to hide the monster lurking underneath. It began when we had wanted his attention and he had ignored us either retreating to the basement or the attic. If we persisted, he would raise his voice which he had never done before. Watching my father angry had frightened all three of us but he had never resorted to physical violence. My mother had suspected Daniel had found the demon in the bottom of the bottle but she never found definite proof to that.

As things progressed, my father would spend days then weeks at Balkan Church and the amusement park. When he did return, we noticed how gaunt he had a stern expression with hard set eyes and a coldness to his voice. He would treat all three of us indifferently as if we were total strangers. This bizarre ritual would last for another five grueling years.

Finally fed up, my mother had followed him one night as he made his way to the church. There she discovered her husband was a member of the Order. When my father had found out my mother was snooping around, he had her arrested and thrown in jail. There he had told her that his whole family had been Order members for as long as he could remember. As punishment for her intrusion, he had cult members kidnap me and Jacob outside of school. Fortunately for me I had escaped while I watched my brother being dragged away.

Fearing for her safety and mine as well, my mom had sought refuge at the hotel. Before I turned ten, my mother and I fled Silent Hill with the help of an uncle from Brahams. In Brahams my mother had waited patiently for my father to show up at the door yet he never did. My mother had erected a small cross for Jacob for she knew children who disappeared in Silent Hill were rarely found.

Five years later, a group of tourists found a badly decomposed body by the shores of Toluca Lake. The body had been stabbed multiple times then had their throat slit wide open. After an autopsy, they identified the body as my father. My mother had felt relieved yet sadden at the shocking murder. With no clues to go on, the murder slowly drifted into an unsolved cold case. Since that day, I've shut out those memories of home vowing to never return until now. With a heavy sigh, I pushed deeper into the misty morning with the town close at hand

Rising out of the mist like a forbidden lost civilization, the first glimpse of Silent Hill appeared. When I saw the ghostly outlines of the buildings, my inner voice screamed are you fucking crazy and to turn back now.

"Shut up" I muttered though I almost the battle to turn around.

An unpleasant jelly like quivering grew in my chest as I drove closer to Silent Hill and home. A feeling I have been so familiar with these last few months. Good old fear which surged forward like an arrow no longer wanting to be contained. Yet this fear wasn't the fear of being haunted by Willow's ghost or the fear of being raped. This was the fear I had lived with when I was younger. The fear of my father when the change slowly enveloped him and wondering if he would kill me and my mother. The fear of the darkened corners of the town in which people never returned from. My mom especially had forbidden me from visiting the underground areas which included the sewers near our house. And the fear of the Order the cult of the town and if they would abduct me like they had done so many children before.

The coldness became heavier feeling like a lead jacket across my shoulders. My stomach cramped painfully as my left hand started twitching like a Mexican jumping bean. I've done stupid stunts in my life but this stunt took first prize hands down. As the fear threatened to cripple me, the mist started to thicken around my car. One minute, I could see just fine then I couldn't see five feet in front of me even with the bright lights on. Glancing around, I felt like an insect wrapped in a spider's cocoon as I slowed my speed down. Putting along, something told me that this wasn't a natural fog but instead a fog of a Stephen King novel. A fog that holds untold horrors and an untimely death if I continued on my journey.

As I strained my eyes to see the turnoff, a figure walked out of the gloom right in front of me. To my utter horror, the figure turned out to be Willow who was dressed in the outfit she had been buried in. Screaming bloody murder, I twisted the wheel hard causing my truck to careen down an embankment. I bounced hard as I fought for control as I landed, surprisingly, on Midwich Street. Still out of control, I fought harder for control but lost as my truck made quick friends with a telephone pole. With a thunderous crash, I found myself being propelled forward before I knew no more

When I opened my eyes, I thought I had gone blind due to the greyness before me. Blinking rapidly, I discovered it to be the oppressive fog that had caused my accident. It wrapped my truck cab like tentacles wanting to pry me out against my will. Groaning, I leaned back against the seat as a knife of pain slit through my head. Touching my forehead, I winced at the sensitive spot and when I checked the mirror I about puked at the goose egg above my left eye. Sadly, the crash had broken my glasses in half and I felt lucky to have a spare handy. Other than the goose egg, I found no other further injuries except a bloody taste in my mouth.

Fishing in my bag, I found the aspirin where I dry swallowed four of them. With that done, I unbuckled my seat belt and gingerly exited the truck. My legs instantly failed me as I braced myself against the truck door. Like a sailor on a heaving ship, I wobbled to and fro before regaining my balance. Turning my head, the fog created a sea of emptiness where nothing appeared to move. The last time I checked, I remembered the town still had people living in it. So what happened to them all?

"Hello?" I cried into the void and jumped a foot as the fog swallowed my voice. The oppressive silence squeezed me causing a lump to form in my throat. I felt like I had crashed landed on a desolate planet or a disaster had wiped out humanity with me as the sole survivor. It toyed with my already frayed nerves digging in deep into my subconscious

"Meredith, Meredith what have you got yourself into?" I asked myself as I sat down into the cab. Chewing my thumb, I dug out my cell phone hoping I could reach Winters. When I tried calling, I only received white noise even though I had signal. Leaning in, I attempted to start my truck which only clicked as if my battery had died. Despite connecting with a phone pole, it still remained in one piece but after several minutes, I gave up trying to start it. Panic arose like lava as sweat popped out on my forehead.

"Maybe I am dead" I thought but a hearty pinch proved me wrong

Shutting my eyes, I forced a part of the panic away with sheer willpower alone. Realizing it wouldn't last long, I had to decide on what to do next. It was too far to hike back to Brahams and I had no clue when Winters would be arriving if he found me at all. I could stay in my truck or I could walk to my old house which lay just blocks away.

"Seriously? You want to go there and face those old memories in your condition?" I scolded myself as I uttered a nervous laugh which dissolved into a loud sobbing. Crashing onto the seat, I hugged my body as tears streamed down my face

"Help me please Willow" I sobbed burying my face into her leather jacket "I need you my love"

As my sorrow surged through me, a soft thunk sounded on the hood of my truck. Snapping off the seat, I grabbed for my gun as I looked around with terrified eyes. Wiping snot from my nose, I believed I saw movement a few feet ahead of me. I started to shout out when I clamped my jaws shut. This figure could be the killer and I didn't want to wind up being filleted. On the other hand, this figure could be JoAnn but there was only one way to find out.

Grabbing my bag and keys, I bolted out into the fog in the direction I saw the figure. It didn't take long for old memories to creep back as houses materialized out of the fog. I remembered days spent playing on Midwich Street either alone or with my brother. I remembered our neighbor, Mr. Chetwood, who my mom thought was an Order member. I remembered Halloweens where I stayed inside for fear of disappearing into the dark belly of the town. Hanging a left on Matheson Street, I found the alley that led to the back of our house.

Ahead of me, like a lighthouse, the figure beckoned me forth then disappeared around the side of a garage. When I found out where he had disappeared to, I stopped dead in my tracks. When my parents had arrived back in Silent Hill after their marriage, they chose a modest two story house on Levin Street. Everyone called it the doghouse due a derelict red dog house in the front lawn. My dad had decided to remove the eyesore but my mom believed if he had, there would be bad luck. I used to think of it as a portal like the wardrobe to Narnia. Now, the figure had drawn me back to my birth place but for why?

Without thinking, I bolted around the corner of the garage with my gun shaking in my hands. Looking behind me, I checked to make sure the figure hadn't doubled back on me. Slowly, I opened the gate to the backyard which had been the center of my many childhood adventures. To my surprise, the blue swing set with the seesaw and the slide still remained behind the garage. Going to it, I pushed one of the swings as a smile broke out on my face, the first one in a long time. Choking up, I could hear faintly my squealing laughter as I screamed for my dad to push me higher. When I looked to my left, I gasped when I saw a ghostly image of my mother at her easel as she painted me enjoying life. Collapsing to my knees, I clutched my chest as fresh tears streamed down my face. The pain of my lost childhood dug in its dagger sharp talons tearing open old wounds that I closed long ago. If I didn't act quickly and stem this tide of grief, I would give up and reside my fate to whatever found me. Gritting my teeth, I arose shakily clamping my hands over my ears to shut out the ghostly laughter. Judging the distance, I closed my eyes and stumbled towards the back door. Lucky for me, I found it to be unlocked and I collapsed inside against the wall.

Once my inner storm quelled, I clicked on my light and walked into the kitchen on my left. Being a neat freak, my mom had kept our house so clean it was sterile. Now, a fine coat of dust painted the counters in a shade of grey. Spiders had woven gauzy webs in the corners of the ceiling. When I inspected a vase my mom had made, a fuzzy black spider scuttled out. As I checked further, two things stood out clear as day. One, I found a plate I had made for mother's day when I was eight. The words dead hag had been scrawled across the porcelain surface in bold red letters. Two, I found cans of food and bottles of water that were still fresh. Empty containers lay strewn on the floor like artifacts. The pungent smell of rotten food tickled my nose.

_"Okay, so somebody had been here recently but whom?"_ I thought as I left the kitchen into the dining/living room with my nerves on edge

Shining my light around, I gasped sharply when I discovered several of my mom's paintings in ruin. When we had left, my mom unfortunately had to leave them behind. All three paintings lay in tattered ruins including the one of me on the swing set. Touching the pieces, my heart broke as I contemplated on what monster could have done such a heinous thing. Leaning my head against the wall, I struggled to from breaking down again

"Get your shit together girl do you hear me?" I whispered to myself as I swallowed thickly

Blowing out a breath of air, I shined my light into the living room. When I highlighted the entertainment center, I cocked my head at the peculiar sight before me. Spread among the empty shelves, a series of origami cranes stared at me with lifeless eyes. Each had been constructed of different color paper and roughly the same size. Thinking back, I remembered my brother had found origami as a way to let out his creative energy. Inspecting them closer, they looked brand new instead of being worn and aged. When I flipped one over, a name of one of the victims had been written in red ink. Going through them all, each had a victim's name except the last one. A purple crane had Meredith my sister written on it.

Dropping it, I whirled around towards the back door when I felt eyes upon me. Heart thudding in my head, I shined my light on the door only to find nothing. Hissing like a snake, I started to relax when a thud above me caused me to stifle a scream. Clamping my hand over my mouth, I panted like a dog as my heart flew out of my chest. When I had subdued the scream, I sought out my gun in my pants but I couldn't grab it with my sweaty hands.

Squeezing my eyes close, I slowly counted to ten while taking deep relaxing breathes. It did the trick as I clamped a damp hand over the butt of the gun

With cat like quickness, I scaled the steps stopping every few steps to make sure I was alone. Stepping lightly across the floor, I heard a low humming coming from what had been my brother's room. Gun raised, I approached the door and with a steady push I opened the door to reveal figure sitting by the window. Truth be told, if I had to shoot I would freeze like a deer in the headlights

"Meredith my sweet sister, I was beginning to think you wouldn't come" A hushed vaguely feminine voice said as the figure arose from the chair. When I beheld the figure's face, I back peddled as if I had been shot

The gun hung limply at my side feeling like it weighed a ton. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth making me gag. Steading my frame against the door jam, I watched transfixed as my brother approached me.

Four years older than me, Jacob had started out as an over protective caring brother. Wherever I went, he tagged along like my own personal bodyguard. Besides being my brother, Jacob had been my one and only friend in Silent Hill. We spent days exploring the town, having fun with our imagination and being inseparable.

Having a girlish voice, tittering laugh and curly strawberry blond hair, he became the bulls eye for local bullies. Book smart and brilliant, he retreated into his studies to avoid the beatings. He even had taken an interest in my mother's hobbies

On the day he disappeared, he had been eager to help me with a science project I had been struggling with. As we crossed the street, two cars had screeched to a halt in front of us. Being protective, Jacob had shielded me as six men bolted from the car at us. One person had grabbed me by my hair but I had bit him on the arm allowing me to escape. As I ran for home with tears in my eyes, I watched helplessly as posse shoved my brother into a car. I had told my mom when she had come home after she had been released from jail. All she had told me was that Jacob was gone and that we should pray he doesn't suffer.

"You are looking well after all these years" Jacob observed rocking on his heels while grinning with sickly yellow teeth. Roughly six feet, he bulged from the sides with an ample bulge over his jeans. His once emerald green eyes had dulled to the color of pond scum. Thinning, his curly strawberry blond hair had been reduced to a wispy halo. Pork jowls, a crooked nose and a double chin completed his doughy face.

"Meredith you believed you would never see me again right?" With each word he flexed his thick sausage fingers

"Yes" I finally managed to speak "How are you alive?"

"In time you will find out sister but now is not the time" He laughed which sounded as harsh as a raven's cry as he turned to face the window "It is coming again"

"What is coming Jacob? You're not making any sense" Then a truth hit me in the face with the force of a sledgehammer which brought a soul numbing wave of horror to me. The objects on the bodies, the likeness to my mother, the proximity of the van to Silent Hill and the paper cranes

"You're the killer aren't you?" I squeaked out as my throat closed up

Ignoring me, he whispered "The darkness Meredith, the darkness is coming. Welcome home"

Then the ear splitting din of an air raid siren wailed as the world descended into darkness. Silhouetted against the window, my brother's figure started wavering as darkness flowed over me like a wave. Like a curtain being drawn, the bright light of the fog world vanished into a void

In just seconds, I stood in full panic attack mode as I fumbled for my light. Locating it, I dropped it along with my gun as something cold brushed against my face. Dropping to the floor, I located it, flicked it on and waved it around frantically like a Jedi wielding a light saber

Like Houdini, my brother had vanished but if he was the killer why hadn't he killed me? Did he have something more sinister planned for me? And why had he killed all those girls? No time to dwell on those questions, I climbed to my feet when I noticed something on the bed. Tucking my gun away, I discovered it to be an old school dress of mine. Thumbing the cloth, I wondered if I was to head to the school

"Of course Meredith and wind up dead" I scolded myself "But JoAnn might just be there"

Instead of arguing with myself, I stealthily left the room and started down the stairs. My light shook in my hand as the inky blackness wrapped its cold arms around me. Downstairs, I progressed methodically checking every corner twice. How had my brother slipped away so quickly?

Past the living room and into the kitchen I walked until I reached the back door. In my mind, I saw myself opening the door only to find my brother holding my mother's severed head. Breathing like an asthmatic, I flung open the door jabbing the gun like a bayonet. Only darkness greeted me but not the darkness of night. This darkness was absolute, a living breathing creature that devoured fear. The fog world had unnerved me but this night world disturbed me in a way that would affect me for months. As I progressed through the yard, the beam of my light only created a circle a few inches wide. It might have been my over active imagination but I swore I heard heavy footsteps behind me. Instead of checking, I bolted through the gate, through the alley and onto the street.

In the oil thick darkness, I wearily crossed Midwich Street. Any sound caused me to jump a foot though they were all made by me. I felt like a camp counselor lost in the woods with the undead killer just inches away. Heart pounding like a drum, I stepped onto the sidewalk and noticed the shadows moving in front of me. Cold terror sweat soaked through my shirt as my knees turned to rubber. Instead of running, I focused my light to reveal a thing straight from the depths of Hell

Struggling from the bushes, a roughly six foot humanoid figure shambled towards me. Covered in a thick greasy skin then color of ash, it possessed not two but twenty hands over its arm less body. Elongated gnarled fingers like tree branches twitched maddeningly at my presence. A tongue or tentacle poked at the skin like sack covering its feature less face. It possessed no other features until I looked down at its crotch. Like a tree root, a rough twisted penis jutted out dripping yellow pus like fluid

A scream caught in my throat as I attempted to flee only to have the creature pounce on me. Knocking me flat on my back, stars danced in my vision as blood trickled down my throat. Feeling like raw liver, the creature's hands groped me, tearing at my clothes. It possessed incredible strength for I couldn't budge a muscle. Chocking on its miasma of rotten flesh, I screamed at last as its demonic penis ground against the crotch of my jeans. When it heard me scream, it clamped a hand over my mouth and nose with an excruciating pressure. Staring into its featureless face, I realized this creature brought back bitter memories of my attack. All my attackers' faces were blank due to stockings while their hands groped and smothered me. If I didn't act quickly, it would kill me and I would never find my brother again

Wiggling my right arm, I managed to point the gun at its body. A booming concussive blast resounded as a searing pain tore up my arm. A black ichor vomited from its body as it emitted a chocking gurgle. Despite the blinding pain in my hand, I shoved upwards forcing the twitching creature off of me.

Scrambling to my feet, the thing fought to bring me down again yet I bolted down the sidewalk. Passing by a derelict car, another creature wiggled out from underneath yet I nimbly leapt over it. Though my lungs burned and I had a painful stitch in my side, I didn't dare stop. Like a firefly, my light bobbed in the total darkness as I saw the school dead ahead. A bout of hysterics bubbled up only to be forced down until I found a haven

As I drew closer still to the school, two more creatures shambled from the shadows to my left. Shutting out the fear, I bolted pell-mell up the stone sidewalk as death lurched closer. Taking the steps two at a time, I crashed head long through the school doors. Collapsing onto the floor, I fixed my frightened eyes upon the door as the gun wavered in my hand. Sweat trickled in my eyes as my stomach knotted up

When the creatures didn't manifest, I dropped the gun which clattered deafening onto the floor. Falling onto the floor, I curled into a fetal ball clenching my teeth as I cried to stifle the sound. Whatever fluid the creature had dripped on me had hardened to a gummy resin and stunk of ripe cheese. All my systems started failing as the despair, angst and pain burrowed in deeper

"What a fool you are Meredith" I croaked chewing my lip bloody "I should have never come no matter what and yet I did and now what. I feel like I'm going stark raving mad"

As I lay defeated, fighting against a mental breakdown, a sharp burning sensation arose in my right hand. Wielding the light in my left, I found my right index finger broken at an angle from the force of the gun. Not thinking clearly, I yanked hard on it being rewarded with a sickening pop. Like a shot of adrenaline, the pain temporarily cleared the cobwebs from my head. Sitting against the wall, I realized the only way out of this mess would be exploring the school. Hopefully, I would find JoAnn and maybe the darkness outside would dissipate

"And hopefully those things as well" I muttered as I shuddered at the cold greasy touch of their hands

Removing a roll of duct tape, I taped my finger then repaired the holes in my jeans. After two Tylenol and a bottle of water, my heart felt ready to go but not my mind

"I'll take it easy" I thought knowing if another creature grabbed me that I would shoot myself

As I started to push open the inner school doors, I found a school map on the wall. I already knew the layout of the place but it would help in an emergency.

Chanting I can do this, I forced open the inner school doors. A gush of stagnant air tinged with cedar and dampness assaulted me. To me it smelled like nostalgia of times gone by. Like my brother, I became a target for bullies in school. Being a miniature girl with braces, coke bottle glasses and a face full of freckles, I wore second hand clothes which dubbed me an unwanted nobody. Whenever I used to talk in front of the class, I used to stumble over my words which turned my face beet red. Though a brilliant student, I kept to myself and always adverting my eyes when I walked the halls. I tucked myself in my own thoughts praying for the school bell to ring.

Standing in the hallway, I took a second to orientate myself. The school centered around a central courtyard with the outside doors in front of me. When I pushed on the bar, I found it to be locked tight. On the bottom left half of the school, I would find two teacher's rooms along with a bathroom and a stairwell. On the bottom right half, I would find two classrooms along with a stairwell to the second floor and the basement. On the second level, there would be four classrooms, a music room, a chemistry lab, a library along with access to the roof.

_"But where the hell do I start_?" I wondered tapping the outside door.

First I decided to check the infirmary on my right only to find it barred as well. Then I walked a few steps, my boots thudding on the hard wood floor, and found the door to the receptionist's office unlocked. Entering slowly, I shined my light around then screamed bloody murder when I saw a figure in the corner. With my left hand, I fired two rounds, my ears ringing, at the creature in the corner. Panting, my head swimming dizzyingly, I pointed the light and nervously laughed when I revealed a wooden coat rack

"She scores" My laughter now sounding like a crazed maniac's

Leaning against the desk, I closed my eyes as I stuck my nose inside Willow's jacket. Breathing in the faint perfume of jasmine and peach, my nerves started calming down as my maniacal laughter tapered off. Once back to normal, I inspected the room to find any clues only to come up empty. When I shuffled the papers on the desk, I found a piece of sheet music.

"Odd" I thought looking at the piece of paper with a puzzled look. Picking my lip ring, I wondered if this had some significance to finding JoAnn if she was here

"Only one way to find out Meredith"

Tucking the paper in the jacket, I left the receptionists office and turned left toward a door leading to the teacher's rooms. Finding it locked, I walked down the hall and to the other side. Fortunately this door yielded when I pushed on it. Once in the hallway, I found the stairs to the second floor and the basement sealed off with a metal fence. Remembering back, another set of stairs to the second floor were on the other side of the school. As I turned away, a creeping prickling feeling tickled the back of my neck. Shining my light at the fence, nothing manifested but as I made my down the hallway I kept checking behind me. I checked the classroom doors in this wing also but found them mysteriously barred as well.

At the end, I turned left and behold, the door yielded to my touch. In the hallway, I checked out the posters moldering on the corkboards. They brought back bitter memories of my trying times at this school.

"_Look at the little rag muffin"_

"_FOUR EYED FREAK"_

"_Little Orphan Annie"_

"_Break her glasses, make her cry like the baby she is"_

Turning away, I wiped tears away as the phantom voices continued taunting me as I walked down the hallway. Passing the other courtyard door, I pushed on it and stumbled forward as it opened as well. Stopping for a second, I marked on my map the doors and stairwells that were accessible. With that done, I made my way to the other side of the school.

Pointing my light at the stairwell, I wondered if I should check out the teacher's rooms. The creeping sensation, for a minute, turned into a bout of full blown paranoia. I just knew if I entered one of them that something bad would transpire. Ignoring them, I cautiously ascended then stairs to the second level.

Exiting the stairwell, I walked over to the door that led to the library which had been barred as well

"Getting sick of this shit" I muttered

To my surprise, the door to classroom C opened easily but after exploring it, I find nothing useful until I pushed open the door to classroom D.

Smack dab in the middle of the room, a model of a volcano stuck out like a sore thumb on an old wooden desk. Glancing around the room, nothing else seemed out of place. Going to it, I studied it closely then remembered this was the project my brother was going to help me with on the day he disappeared. Shining my light down the hole, a key twinkled like a star. Rolling up my sleeve, I stuck my hand to the wrist yet couldn't grasp the key. Going to plan B, I tried picking up the volcano only to find it to be a part of the desk. Scratching my chin, I let my wheels turn in order to find a solution.

"_If I had some baking soda and vinegar_" I thought then a light bulb went on in my head

If I could get to the chemistry lab, there just might be said chemicals. Leaving the classroom, I went across the hall and found the door to the hallway unlocked. On my right lay the music room and that made me think of the sheet music. Unfortunately, the door refused to open and I kicked it in frustration.

_"That key in the volcano might open it"_

Proceeding down the hall, I pushed open the doors and ahead found the stairs blocked off with another metal fence. Down the hall, I passed by two more classrooms before arriving at a locked door to the library. Behind me, a soft laugh made me whirl around where I twisted my feet together and went thud on the floor. A blossom of pain blared in my right hand as the laugh sounded again. Shining my light down the hall, the beam barely went half way. I started to cry out hello but I thought of all those horror movies where the people die after crying out hello. Steeling my nerves, I tiptoed to the hallway door while keeping an eye behind me. Luckily, I found the door unlocked and after a short trip arrived at the chemistry lab.

Breathing deeply, I walked into the classroom as the soft laugh sounded again.

"_Meredith that sounds a lot like Willow's laugh"_

Ignoring my inner voice, I started inspecting the shelves until surprisingly I found an expired bottle of vinegar with a yellowed label. With one ingredient down, I searched the room again yet found no baking soda. As I highlighted the chalk board, a key had been taped to the surface. Peeling it away, the key had a tag which said infirmary on it. Pocketing it, I left the chemistry lab but turned right towards the other hallway door which had been locked. To my advantage, the door unlocked allowing me easier access.

Dashing down the stairs, I took the hallway past the teacher's rooms in hopes I could unlock the other locked door. A grin broke out on my face when the door clicked open. After a short jog, I entered the infirmary and found a box of baking soda resided on top a manila envelope. Pocketing the soda, I turned to leave when the manila envelope peaked my curiosity. No time for formalities, I pocketed the manila envelope for later inspection

Like a mad woman, I dashed through the school, my hand now a dull pain like a sore tooth. Up the stairs I flew and barged into classroom D and nearly tripped over my feet again. Approaching the volcano, I emptied the baking soda and vinegar into the hole. In a geyser of foam and bubbles, the mixture oozed down the side like soap. In the midst of this mixture, the key became a small metal boat. Snatching it, I dashed across the hall towards the music room. Like a glove, the key fitted the lock allowing me access. Stark save for a grand piano, I scoped out the room first before settling down on the piano bench. My mom had taught me how to play yet it's been a good eight years since I've last played. Placing the sheet music in front of me, I went through the notes one by one missing a note here and there due to my broken finger.

Cracking my neck, I started to grow flustered at my inability to play the piano right. Breathing in the scent of Willow's jacket, my confidence soared enough where I finally succeeded in playing the piece right. When I did, I jumped a foot when the clock in the room blared followed by a hollow clunk. Pushing my heart back in my chest, I inspected the ruins to find an object which brought a steel grip of angst to me. Last Christmas, I had given Willow a sterling silver pendent of two hearts intertwined with her birth stone in the middle. It had cost me a pretty penny but she had absolutely loved it. When she died, I had buried her with it which made me wonder how it got here

"Willow" I sniffled clutching the pendent to my heart when I saw a tag dangling from the jewelry.

"_Hmm there is a clock tower in the courtyard_" I thought wiping my misty eyes

No wasting any time, I zipped through the second floor taking the steps in galloping bounds. When I reached the doors to the courtyard, I halted as a crippling cold chill raced through me

"Something bad is going to happen" I whispered feeling my paranoia threatening to overwhelm me. "Or is it just the weight of all this weirdness just getting to me?"

My hands clammy with sweat, I pressed on the door and stepped out into the darkened courtyard where the sense of dread became heavier. The darkness felt more malevolent than out in the streets as if the courtyard was the blackened heart of the beast.

In front of the clock tower I stood bouncing the pendent in my palm

"Alice is about to jump down the rabbit hole" I muttered as I found a niche for the pendent above the door.

As I stepped inside, the air raid siren screamed like a banshee instantly freezing my blood. Deciding to abandon my quest, I found the doors had closed and locked behind me. Panic closed my lungs as I started hyperventilating as I steadied my body against the wall of the tower. Swaying from side to side, blackness blanketed my eyes as I passed out.

Groaning I awoke to find myself curled in a fetal position on the floor of the clock tower. A pungent taste of copper lingered in my mouth and further inspection found I had bit my tongue deeply. Rubbing my head, I found my light and noticed the clock tower doors ajar with a steady drizzle outside. Stepping through, I stared up bewildered at the rain wondering what had happened just a minute ago.

Dismissing it as my nerves, I reentered the school through the courtyard door. One look at my surroundings told me I found a place worse than the fog and night worlds combined. Instead of pale blue walls, the walls were corroded with rust as if they were constructed out of metal panels. Parts of the walls had gaping holes exposing a dense network of metal grating. To my eye, they looked like the muscle structure of a human body. A goo as viscous as oatmeal dribbled steadily from the ceiling in fat drops. When I smelled it, I cringed at the rank sewer smell. To my right, a massive industrial fan blocked my way held to the wall by bolts as big as my fist. Its steady whup whup droned in my ears like a monstrous insect as I caught movement behind the blades. At my feet, the floor had been constructed of a haphazard jigsaw puzzle of metal grating and wood flooring. A smear of blood disappeared to my left intertwined with claw marks as if a body had been dragged away. The air tasted sulfurous with a humidity of a tropical jungle which made me sweat.

Looking over my shoulder, the courtyard door had vanished being replaced by a curtain of crudely stitched leather which fluttered lightly in the breeze of the fan

"Is this Hell?" I wondered even though I didn't believe in such stupid things. I've been an atheist since I turned fifteen but a pinch made me question my choice. "Okay Meredith just calm down"

Withdrawing my map, I marked off the road blocks with a trembling hand. Sweat rolled down my neck forcing me to remove Willow's leather jacket. Stuffing it into my bag, I readied myself as best as I could and started down the hall. Entering the hallway to the teacher's rooms, a metal fence barred my way to the left. Strands of rusted barb wire had been woven through the grating, its barbs as wicked as shark teeth. My stomach splashed when I saw bits of flesh intertwined in the metal. Finding a door, I tugged on the handle only to discover it locked. Across the middle, a series of numbers had been embedded into a steel plate. Clicking my tongue, I made them out to be an algebra problem. Math had been my strong suit in school with me being a human calculator. But three numbers were missing from the problem and that meant I had to go exploring.

Checking my ammo, I started up the stairs to the second floor. The stairs leaned to one side or the other like in a funhouse and some were missing causing me to leap over a yawning black hole. As I neared the landing, I heard a harsh breathing followed by a ticking then a scraping. Figuring it to be one of those monsters from the street, I lunged out of the stairwell hoping to blow it back to Hell. When I saw the figure, my jaw dropped, my heart seized up and my stomach nearly released my breakfast.

Straggling down the hall, Willow dragged her left leg at a painfully awkward angle with her foot twisted completely around. With her back to me, I could see she wore the lime green dress with the white lilies that she had been buried in. Her skin shone a sickly yellow splotched with mud and adorned with twigs and leaves. Various spots of decay were visible giving me glimpses of bone and muscle underneath.

Gulping air like a fish, I started to back away but my legs buckled and I used the wall for support. My nightmare had manifested itself and waking up wouldn't banish it this time. Peeking around the corner, to my horror, Willow faced me her waist long hair draped across her face. She reminded me of the creature from the movie the Grudge. She carried her left arm up by her neck only I couldn't call it an arm. Instead of being broken and hanging loosely like in the nightmare, the arm bone had fused and curved into a scythe like blade. A point of bone jutted from her elbow like the tip of a spear. As I watched, Willow crouched then with demonic speed lunged straight at me.

Screaming, I toppled back down the stairs landing hard on my back as the metal grating shredded my skin. A sick wash of pain seized me as Willow lurched down the stairs after me. Despite being disorientated, I barely rolled out of the way as the scythe blade whizzed by my head. Again, she sliced through the air, the tip slicing through my t-shirt leaving a shallow gash on my chest.

Scrambling up the steps, I landed flat on my belly then rolled onto my back. Willow lunged again, the blade aimed with murderous intent for my throat as I squeezed off three rounds. Two rounds impacted her chest the third slicing like a scalpel through her neck. Collapsing in a heap, I nudged the corpse to make sure she was dead. Crawling to her, I cradled the body whispering I'm sorry in a rhythmic chant.

_"Meredith this isn't Willow, it is a monstrosity. Stop this now or you'll never find JoAnn and_ _Jacob_" My inner me screamed like a drill sergeant

Tenderly, I lay the body aside doing my best to swallow my emotional pain. Though I should have left it go, I swiped back the hair and went completely numb. Just like in my nightmares, the creature possessed only a hollow black void for a face. A giggle escaped my throat as sanity slowly leaked out of me like air out of a balloon. Somewhere deep in my mind, another voice pleaded for me to just lie down and die. Though it sounded tempting, I struggled to shut out the voice before it won. Gripping my broken finger, the physical pain cleared my head and quieted the voice allowing me to climb to my feet.

Wearily, I walked to Classroom C to find a stout iron bar wedged against the door frame. Groaning loudly, I walked a few steps to the door of Classroom D only to find the exact same thing. Banging my head against the door, I muttered nonsense, wondering if giving up was the best thing

"_Willow wouldn't give up no matter how grim things looked"_

Rubbing my face, I staggered to the door to the music room hallway. Passing the music room, a scraping noise peaked my curiosity. Carefully, I opened the music room door and another Willow nightmare creature lunged straight for me. Lightning quick, I slammed the door with the creature thudding off sickeningly. Not giving the room a second thought, I left the hallway and entered the hallway with two more classrooms.

In front of me, one classroom door stood ajar when movement caught my attention to the left. A Willow nightmare creature swiped its scythe arm blade causing me to drop to the floor. Pointing the gun up, I shot it under the chin dropping it like a stone. Suddenly a force knocked me flat my head bouncing off the metal grating. With stars swimming in my eyes, I felt a weight pressing down on my back. Knowing death lurked over me, I struggled to roll away when a fire seared across my shoulder then down my back. Crying out in pain, I reared up with as much force as my worn out body could muster knocking the creature off.

Twisting away like a snake, I emptied the clip at the shadow behind me being rewarded with a meaty thud. Blood trickled down my body in streams soaking through my jeans. A wave of nausea caught me off guard as I threw up what little food I had in me.

_"I'm going to die before I find JoAnn_" I thought, spitting thickly on the floor

Instead of walking into the classroom, I half crawled half wobbled like a drunk on a Friday night. Inside, I found the number 13 stuck to the chalkboard. With fingers slick with blood, I popped the number loose putting in into my bag. Behind it, I found a key which said roof door on it. Sliding down the wall, I leaned against the wall resting my weary body. The gash on my back emitted a dull nagging pain which spread across my entire body. Reaching behind, I grimaced at how deep the Willow creature had slashed me. Swallowing a few aspirin, I closed my eyes for a second when I heard ghostly voices in the room

_"You're going to die little orphan Annie"_

_ "Just surrender, you're too weak to fight"_

_ "Ah little baby going to cry isn't she"_

_ "Four eyed loser"_

"SHUT UP GOD DAMN YOU" I screamed as much as my raspy throat would let me.

Like an autumn wind, the voices passed away leaving me in silence. After a few minutes, I felt like I could venture on. I screamed as the wound on my back peeled away from the wall as I stood up. Gritting my teeth, I left the classroom and reentered the music room hallway. After an agonizing journey, I arrived at the steps to the roof which I climbed with feet of lead. At the top, I used the key to gain access to the outside.

In the pitch darkness, the mist continued to drizzle which tasted like motor oil when I tasted it. In the middle of the roof, a podium stood adorned with four numbers 1,6,22 and 47. Crossing the metal grating, I puzzled over the conundrum before me. I needed two more numbers but here I found two plus two more but which numbers to pick? In a frantic hurry, I snatched 6 and a low rumble like an earthquake shook the entire roof. To my right, a series of roof grates plunged into a hellish abyss. Gulping, I realized my chances of success weren't looking so hot right now. If I removed the wrong number again, I could plummet into the darkness and game over. Closing my eyes, I thought back to the problem using the 13 I found.

"_Think Meredith, this is a brain teaser. You used to be good at them_" I thought as I opened my eyes hoping I had the right answer. _"I better be right"_

Cautiously, I removed the 22 and the podium disappeared into the void. Breathing a sigh of relief, I felt self-confident when the roof shuddered violently again as all the tiles started falling away. Bolting across the roof, I barely passed through the door before the roof vanished behind me. Leaning on my knees, I let my nerves quiet down as my heart thudded loudly. As I stood there, I wondered where the last number could be at.

_"Maybe if I placed these two numbers in the puzzle it will reveal the third_"

Down I went, my head thumping queasily, until I found the puzzle door. Inserting the two numbers, the fan by the courtyard door stopped opening a passageway. Stumbling from the passage beyond, a Willow nightmare creature lurched like a zombie toward me. Steadying myself, I fired two rounds only they went wild impacting the floor. Gripping the gun with my sore right hand, I fired two more rounds which impacted the head of the creature. Dashing through the fan, I found both classroom doors barred with iron bars along with the door to the infirmary and the steps to the second floor

"Shit, I have to go to the basement" I mumbled, shining my light down the darkened tunnel.

At the bottom, I tried all the doors until I gained access to the boiler room. Another brain teaser awaited my wrung out mind as I stood in front of a control panel of three dials. Turning gauge one caused gauge three to pitch to the red zone. Trying gauge three causes gauge one to pitch halfway while it dropped to half itself. I fiddled and twisted the knobs until I thought my brain was going to explode. Finally, all the gauges dipped to the red zone causing a loud bang to echo through the room. In a gush of steam, the number 5 dropped into my midst with a dull clang.

In great leaps and strides, I reached the puzzle and inserted the number being rewarded with a click. Swinging open the gate, both teachers rooms were barred then I noticed a shiny object on the floor. Dangling the pink dog tags, I noticed they belonged to JoAnn causing my heart to flutter. Pocketing them, I rushed down the hall when a scuffling sounded from the girl's bathroom

Using my full weight, I shoved open the bathroom door letting out a pungent moldy basement aroma. Three sinks had been sheared off clean with the wall leaving gaping holes in the tile. The plumbing jutted out like the beak of a monstrous bird or the penises of those monsters on the street. The single large mirror had been cracked into a spider web pattern coated with gooey viscera. Stepping around gaping holes, I approached the leaning bathroom stall

Around the frame, rusty barb wire had been wound like a demonic Christmas decoration. From the ceiling, a viscous fluid oozed like pus on the floor. With the flashlight in my right hand, I used my left shoulder to open the door with the gun rattling in my hand. Carefully, I opened the door further when a shadow darted from the depths. Stumbling back, I landed hard on my tailbone as the gun and light skittered across the floor. Gasping, I scurried across the floor as the shadow swooped down upon me like a vulture. Clawing out with my hands, I fought off the attacker which brought back a flashback of my attack. Half screaming, half crying I twisted violently not caring about the jagged tile digging into my wounded back.

"NO NO NO PLEASE STOP" I screamed as my flight or fight response kicked into overdrive

"Stop fighting Meredith" A familiar voice commanded

With panic flowing like poison through my veins, I squinted in the dim light and felt relief wash over me

"JoAnn" I hoarsely whispered as the iron band around my chest loosened allowing me to breathe normally

"Hi, sorry for attacking you I thought you were one of those creatures" JoAnn responded climbing off me and stretching her lanky yet muscular frame. Her face showed the battle scars of a violent encounter. A gash zipped across her lips ending in a fork by her chin. A sickly looking bruise marred her right cheek. Blood matted her hair to her face from a gash across her forehead

With tears in my eyes, I flung my arms around her squeezing her as tight as possible

"Easy Meredith, it's okay" She consoled me cradling my head. When I expended my tears and calmed down a bit, JoAnn, in a darker tone, asked me a question "Have you seen a paunchy guy about six feet with rotten teeth and a thinning blond hair?"

"Jacob, my brother" I said so quietly she couldn't hear me. Saying those two words together still seemed alien to me.

"Who?"

"Jacob, my brother" I repeated

"YOU SERIOUS!?" JoAnn practically screamed at me as she forced me to look her in the eyes "He's the god damn fucking sicko who's been killing all those girls"

"Look JoAnn he disappeared before I was ten. When I met him today, I couldn't believe it was him. Look, I figured he was the killer from all the clues he left behind but I have no idea why. I think it has something to do with my mother"

"Oh sorry for jumping your bones" She apologized "I barely escaped him"

"Look, tell me your story later okay. I really want to go home JoAnn"

"Sure sounds good kiddo" She responded then shot me a puzzled look when I handed her the handgun

"My nerves are shot. I'm afraid I'll shot myself or you"

Reluctantly, she accepted the gun tucking in into her jeans then said "How do you explain the school changing into this?"

"Not a clue. My brother said something about the darkness but I have no idea what that is" I answered as I cowered behind her six foot two frame.

With an air of trepidation, JoAnn opened the bathroom door to find a shocking surprise

"A staircase?" She said bewildered as I came around her. Metal grating blocked off the hallway to out left and right herding us down the flight of steps

Looking down the pitch black hole, I could sense an ominous presence dwelling down in the subterranean depths. Gulping, I wondered if we could find another way down but I doubted it

"Let's go slowly Meredith, we have no idea where this leads" With a long stride, JoAnn started down the stairs highlighted in my flashlight's beam

Hugging the wall, I attempted to feed off JoAnn's courage in case the shit hit the fan again. As we descended further, the air increased in humidity to the point it felt like I was being smothered by wet wool. Inhaling, I gagged at the rotten vegetable odor as if we were in the midst of a compost heap. Like the air, the environment changed from rusty ruined walls to moist stone walls roughly hewn and crumbling

"This is getting weird" JoAnn mumbled and as I listened her voice trembled cracking when she finished the sentence. Turning towards me, a mask of trepidation was clearly present on her face as she grabbed my hand. Her tough fearless girl persona showed cracks as she squeezed my hand not to guide me but for comfort

"Come on Meredith" She said doing her best to prove nothing bothered her

Down we went until we entered into a cathedral like room where the darkness hung dense as the mysterious fog. Panning my light up, the beam failed to highlight the ceiling. Faint light flickered from a peculiar luminescence from the walls yet it failed to disperse the shadows.

A few steps in, our feet sunk into a fetid smelling bog of the most noxious muck conceivable. It sucked our feet down with frightening strength and refused to release us. Being the stronger of the two, JoAnn lurched forward clawing at the muck the color of coffee grounds. Pulling me free, we crawled on our knees when a piercing shriek as sharp as razors and clear as crystal enfolded us.

Freezing, we looked in all directions but the darkness hampered our search. Clicking like toenails on a floor preceded a rustling like leaves as my heart thudded loudly. Above us, something had become aware of intruders into its world. Scuttling like crabs across the bog, the monstrosity finally manifested in front of us

"NO" I choked on the word as I gazed upon the horror before me

In my youth, our basement had an infestation of earwigs and silverfish when I was just six. One stormy night, several of these alien frightening creatures had snuck into my bed. I had awoken to find them exploring my face and had developed a lifelong fear of them

The thing in front of us exploited that fear to the hundredth power. Roughly seven feet long, its jointed and bisected exoskeleton gleamed the color of decaying flesh. Various tendrils wiggled spasmodically from along the edge of its body. A serrated pair of pinchers encompassed the rear of the creature which could cut a man in half with ease. Each of its jointed legs ended in a sickled shaped claw and looked like bone covered with a thin sheet of bloody muscle. By far, the head of this creature drove terror into me the deepest. Jagged teeth like slivers of glass encircled a circular shaped like the mouth of a leech. Four C shaped pinchers sprouted from this mouth, clicking together as it crawled towards us dripping whitish colored saliva

JoAnn fired five times causing the creature to halt

"RUN MEREDITH" She cried out grabbing me by the shoulders

Shaking the cobwebs free, I followed her as she stumbled across the bog towards a pinpoint of light in the distance. Behind us, the insect hybrid shrieked a blood curdling shriek as it tore after us. T

Too late to react, the bog abruptly ended terminating onto a cracked stone floor. Sprawling, I crashed hard onto the floor right onto my sore hand. Standing over me, JoAnn fired again allowing me to right myself. Feet thudding on the floor, we drew closer to the light when the creature swung its body like a wrecking ball

JoAnn barely ducked in time going flat against the ground. On the other hand, the creature knocked me down violently as my body was too worn out to defend itself. Flat on my back, an odor of rotten vegetables and wet hay assaulted my nose as the insect fiend leered over me. It clicked its mandibles as its goopy saliva dribbled onto me. My body refused to move however I no longer cared. Dying didn't bother me for I soon would be with Willow. As I closed my eyes to embrace death, JoAnn bellowed a fierce some war cry as she unloaded on the creature

As the creature recoiled, JoAnn swooped in scooping me up in her arms. Though I was dead weight, JoAnn sprinted across the floor with ease. No finished, the insect hybrid barreled after us again as we drew ever closer to the light. With a final burst of speed, JoAnn bolted into the light as the creature roared in defeat.

In the distance, an air raid siren blared softly as the light blinded us. My body felt weightless as the light intensified and I lost sight of JoAnn for a moment. Out of nowhere, I fell, landing on my side coughing hard onto the floor. Looking around, I found myself safe in the boiler room with JoAnn by my side

"Where are we?" JoAnn wanted to know

"Boiler room" I answered listening for movement in the hushed silence

Grabbing her hand, we slowly made our way back upstairs to a complete shock. No longer did the school reside in the night world or the rusty decayed world but the foggy world. Licking my lips, I stood dumbfounded in the hall doing my best and failing to find answers to explain this madness.

"Meredith?" JoAnn called to me sounding a million miles away to me

How can this place manifest creatures that embody my worst fears? What is Jacob's connection to all this? How could he possibly be alive?

"MEREDITH!" JoAnn called to me again this time more sternly with a hand clamped on my shoulder

Gasping, I blinked at her as if she was a complete stranger. Warmness dribbled down my chin where I had chewed my lip bloody. Shaking my head, I ignored her pleads as I stormed my way to the front door in a dreamlike state.

Through the doors I barreled with JoAnn begging me to stop. Out into the mist I walked without fear of being dragged to the lowest levels of Hell. As I cleared the school yard, two strong hands twisted me around.

"Please Meredith answer me. Are you okay?" JoAnn's eyes full of motherly concern as she looked me over

"Want to go home" I replied flatly sounding like a somnambulist

Giving me a reassuring smile, JoAnn hugged me tightly then gently led me onto Midwich Street

"I know this might not be the right time" JoAnn asked me as we made our way to my truck "But how did you get that scar on your face?" Since the incident in the school, JoAnn's voice had lost some of its bravado. Hugging her body tightly, she appeared to have shrunk in stature with cracks forming in her rock hard edge

Looking around, I kept a suspicious eye on my surroundings for any hand monsters that could be lurking around.

"_Maybe they only exist when the darkness descends_" I thought then I addressed JoAnn's question

"I was raped in my second year of college. Three attackers took turns on me in an alley on my way home. They wore protection but one attacker wouldn't let me go. After the other two left, he carved this mark into my face" I replied touching the W shaped scar around my right eye "I believe it stands for whore" collapsing into the street, I broke out crying in retching hitching sobs

"Hey come on Meredith it is alright" JoAnn said stooping down to embrace me "I shouldn't have brought it up"

"It's okay" I mumbled into her shoulder "Look, let's get out of here

"And your brother?"

"Fuck him. I hope he rots in Hell" I spat on the ground to emphasize my point

Together we walked down Midwich Street until we reached my truck where my heart sank. All four tires had been slashed repeatedly and when I checked the spares they had been slashed also. Opening the hood, I found the spark plugs, the oil filter and the battery wires missing

"Overkill" JoAnn observed, wiping her mouth "He doesn't want us to leave"

Falling to my knees, I collapsed against the bumper where the coolness felt soothing. Banging my already throbbing head, I whispered want to go home in a defeated tone less voice. Coming to me, JoAnn pulled me away guiding me to the truck cab. Sitting me down, she held me as I cried softly on her shoulder

"We will get through this I promise you Meredith" JoAnn assured me. Though she had lost some of her edge, she had kept enough of a sturdy edge to keep me from imploding

"I'm on the verge of a complete psychotic breakdown" I replied, clinging to her like a life preserver. A nervous giggle escaped my throat as JoAnn held me tight "If it hadn't been for you, I be running around Silent Hill right now screaming and ranting. The things I've seen. The things I've seen can't be real"

"I saw a glimpse of those things in the school but what were they?"

"That was how I saw Willow in my nightmares"

"Oh Meredith honey, I'm so sorry"

"I should have listened to Sheriff Winters. I wasn't strong enough to do this alone"

"But you're not alone anymore" JoAnn answered

"Thank you"

"Let me get you fixed up alright"

Handing her my bag, JoAnn set about checking my numerous injuries. The first thing she did was splint my finger with a pencil she broke in two. Next she asked me to remove my shirts so she could look at the wound on my back

"Oh shit, this needs stiches bad" She said, wiping the gash with an alcohol soaked rag "I'll do my best"

After cleansing the wound, she taped it shut with medical tape then applied a thick bandage. After treating me, she forced me to eat and drink something. Leaning against the truck, we ate in silence with JoAnn looking in all directions.

"What now? Where do you think we should go?" She said to me

"I've been thinking about that and this is about my mom JoAnn. So I think we should go to the Lakeview Hotel where my mom used to work"

"Do you know the way?"

"We walk down Bachman Road until we reach West Sandford then turn right. It's across from Lakeside Amusement Park"

"Can you make it?" JoAnn asked me

"With you, I can do anything" I answered finding myself leaning my head against her shoulder. The smell of her pungent sweat, the feel of her muscular arms around me along with looking into her face produced a pleasant comforting sensation. All I wanted to do was curl up in her lap and sleep for JoAnn would keep me safe

_"If we survive this, I'm telling her that I love her"_ I thought thinly smiling at her

"Up we go Meredith" JoAnn said lifting me up with ease

"How many bullets are left?"

"Eight in the gun and two full clips"

Going to the back of my truck, I fished out a stout wicked looking crowbar, smacking the metal against the truck side

With JoAnn in front of me, we walked down Midwich Street before turning left on Bloch Street. Wrapped in a dense foggy blanket, buildings stared at us with dark hollow eyes. Any of them could be a haven for an otherworldly denizen or a gateway back to the night world.

On Bachman Road, right as the silence of the town intensified in weight gnawing away like a hungry rat. On our left, the blurry bulk of Balkan Church loomed ominously like a haunted building out of Lovecraft. For a minute, I imagined the ghost of my father watching us from the steps. All went well until we reached Bradbury Street where Bachman Road wound down into the resort area. Passing through a dense bank of fog, JoAnn snatched the back of my shirt yanking me back

"What the hell?" I shouted at her

"Look at the road" She replied

Cautiously, I walked forward and gasped in surprise. If it hadn't been for JoAnn, I would have walked off the ledge and into an abyss. Like a waterfall, the fog spilt over the edge disappearing into the canyon. I crawled closer looking at the jagged edge of the road as if Godzilla had taken a bite out of the asphalt. I couldn't see the bottom or the other side of the road

Grabbing a rock, I dropped it off the ledge hearing it clock against something then vanish into the gloom. Maybe it thumped off the head of Satan as he prodded some poor soul in Hell. Collapsing on my butt, I sighed bitterly as JoAnn knelt beside me

"This is getting weirder and weirder" She observed placing a comforting hand on me

"We were so close" I replied back

"Is there another way around?"

Sitting there, I thought of a shortcut yet dreaded taking it. However, the only alternative would be walking all the way to the other side of town

"Yes, but you will not like it" I said staggering to my feet

"Why is that?"

"The sewers by the school will take us to where we need to be. Only problem is we have no map"

A faint flicker of hesitation burned in JoAnn's eyes as she said "If it is the only way"

Retracing our steps, we just passed the bulk of Balkan Church when a throaty menacing growl sounded. To me, it sounded like a killer revving a chainsaw before popping out of the darkness. Trotting out of the gloom, a dog sniffed the air before settling eyes upon us. To our eyes, it looked like a harmless lost German Shepard only until it growled. With the sound of bacon crackling, its fur on its face split in all directions furling back up its skull like a shade. Then its skull cracked with a dry hollow pop as its mouth widened like a pythons. Several rows of dagger like teeth jutted from its foamy dripping mouth along with a cluster of buzzing sinewy tentacles. Along its spine, bristles stood up razor sharp as more tentacles punctured through its hide. Sprinting toward us, the dog leapt straight at JoAnn who leapt clear of its attack.

Landing on top of a car, the dog leapt again to be met by a straight hard kick from JoAnn. Toppling on its back, it righted its body as it whirled around for another attack which gave JoAnn time to snatch the crowbar from me. Swinging underhand, she clocked the beast under its jaw then with a fluid motion delivered a sickening crack to its head. Collapsing, the dog twitched until JoAnn drove the crowbar through its skull

"Heel Cujo" She said, handing me back the fur coated crowbar. "So now we have mutant dogs to worry about. Great"

"I've seen these dogs before" I muttered as I stared transfixed on the broken body

"Where?"

"From the movie The Thing when those dogs mutate into that alien. It gave me nightmares for weeks"

"Okay but how uh you know what forget it. I'll never understand what's going on here for as long as I live" She answered, checking the gun magazine for the hundredth time. She appeared in control of her emotions for the time being but I realized this town must be gnawing away at her too. What would happen if JoAnn broke down like I was doing?

Turning left on Bloch Street, two dogs blitzed us on our right, one barreling me over and pinning me to the ground. Thinking on my feet, I jammed the crowbar into its slimy mouth, its carrion breath strong enough to curl paint. Despite pain searing throughout my body, I kept the beast at bay as I tried to free myself. Three shots rang out followed by a meaty thud then JoAnn came to my rescue

"Hey fuck face off her now" She hollered, stamping her feet

Taking the bait, the dog turned towards the sound allowing me to roll free. Using a hydrant, I leapt to my feet then something snapped in me. I couldn't tell if it was all the stress or perhaps it was the final strands of my sanity breaking. Gripping the crowbar, I slammed it into the dog's neck before it could lunge. Staggering, the dog beast corrected itself only to have me bash its head in with brutal blows

"Stinking fucking cock sucking son of a bitch motherfucker" I screamed, wailing on the thing until its head popped in an explosion of gore, bone and an eyeball which splattered on my chest. Even still, I continued pounding away, blood spraying like a fountain in my face until JoAnn clutched my arm

"Stop Meredith" She calmly said, her grip tightening as I attempted to break her grip. "Please stop"

Dropping the crowbar with a clang, I slumped forward with JoAnn clutching me in her arms. Helping me to the wall, she cradled me as I started crying

"It's alright" She repeated, tenderly kissing my forehead. "Tell you what Meredith; you can wait in your truck while I go to the hotel okay. You can't go on much more"

"My brother is waiting for me. He will kill you for sure JoAnn" I replied in a thick slurred voice, my body trembling like a bowl of jell o in an earthquake. I've never felt this hopeless, this emotionally drained, not even when Willow died. Silent Hill was acting like an unstoppable cancer, eating me away until I would only be a husk

"Meredith, the next time you snap I might not be able to help you"

"I'll go myself then and if I die so what"

"I can't talk you out of it can I?"

"NO"

"Okay then" She said, dragging my sorry carcass to its feet. With a quick flick, she removed the eyeball from the front of my shirt "I'll check ahead and you can follow me okay?"

Kissing me again, she set out up Bloch Street as I huddled by a car. Pretty soon, I heard her holler my name and I tore up the street like my ass was on fire. Snuggling up to her, I peeked around praying we wouldn't be ambushed. When we heard nothing, we walked down the remainder of the street like ghosts. At the intersection, we looked both ways on Midwich Street before crossing.

Once on the other side, JoAnn shoved me on the ground as another dog shot out of the bushes. Before she could fire, the dog clamped down on her left arm. Driving her hard to the ground, the dog dug its claws into her abdomen as it bore down on her arm. Screaming, JoAnn punched the thing in its eyes yet it wouldn't release its grip. Rushing to her, I clubbed the crowbar over its head as it shook its head. Turning the weapon around, I plunged the pointed end through its eye with a wet pop. Opening its mouth, it teetered then fell into a ruined heap.

Crawling next to JoAnn, the wounds on her chest where superficial but the same couldn't be said for the bite on her arm. Several deep puncture wounds pulsated blood, the skin around her wrist had been sheared open and the dog's saliva coated the wounds providing the grounds for an infection.

"Shit this sucks" She moaned as I helped her into a sitting position

Digging through my bag, I found the alcohol where I cleansed the wound twice then applied an antibiotic ointment. I didn't have enough gauze to stop the bleeding so I removed my T shirt then used my undershirt to wrap her arm as tightly as possible using my trusty duct tape

"You going to be okay?" I nervously asked. If JoAnn died then I wouldn't be able to function any longer

"Yeah I have had worse" She replied putting on her bravest face

Gingerly, I helped her along the street until we reached the entrance to the sewers. A squat concrete building like a cold war bunker lay behind a chain link fence. The gate had been wrenched open yielding to my body weight. Once inside, I helped JoAnn to the ground as she looked at the corroded metal door in stark horror

"You okay?" I asked her

"I hate the dark" She blurted out "That's why I hid in the bathroom at the school not just because of the creatures but because of the dark" JoAnn sniffled feeling ashamed by admitting her fears when she had appeared fearless

"It's okay JoAnn" I answered giving her a reassuring hug this time around. Handing her my flashlight, I fished out my keys from my bag removing a squat thumb sized LED flashlight

"Ready?"

"I'll manage" She said, cradling her wounded arm to her chest

Using my crowbar, I winched open the door where an over powering rotten egg smell caused us to run and gag. Coughing, I walked inside then climbed down the rusted ladder doing my very best not to freak the fuck out. For all I knew, my brother could be hiding down her waiting for us like a boogey man. At the bottom, I waited on JoAnn as she clumsily descended the ladder like a drunken monkey. Safely at the bottom, we started into the dank curved stone tunnel when I noticed a glowing symbol on the wall

"An arrow" I told her as I traced the symbol "Wonder who made it?"

"Maybe my brother?"

"Could be but I don't want to find out"

Joann looked around as she said "What happened to your brother anyway?"

Sighing deeply, I told her about my mother finding out my father was an Order member, how he arrested her and kidnapped my brother

"I always heard this town was fucked up but I never believed it but now I do"

Ahead of us, another arrow instructed us to turn to the right. Water plinked into stagnant pools in the center of the curved tunnel. Cobwebs clung thickly like curtains to the roughhewn stone walls. Our lights bobbed around casting ominous shadows around. We progressed smoothly until we ran into an obstacle. Ahead, caught in our lights, a metal fence stretched across the width of the tunnel with a door set in the center. To our misfortune, the gate refused to open when I tugged on it. Inspecting it, I couldn't find a space big enough to insert the tip of my crowbar.

"Gosh darn it" I muttered sounding like Sheriff Winters who I wished was here with us now.

"So now what Meredith?"

"Got any dynamite?" I joked though I found little humor in it "We have no map so I don't know what to do"

Standing there like statues, we pondered what to do next when a splash echoed from behind us at the other end of the tunnel. Focusing our lights, we couldn't see anything as another splash sounded. Looking at each other, we seemed to think the same thing as we proceeded with caution towards the sound.

A sense of claustrophobia weighed heavy on me as we drew nearer to the source. JoAnn started breathing laboriously clutching her left arm tighter to her body. At the end, an arrow pointed us to the right where we turned and were greeted by an odd phenomenon. Set in the wall at the end, a red painted door beckoned us forth into a realm unknown.

"Meredith doesn't that "

"Appear out of place" I finished for her

Creeping along the catwalk, JoAnn led the way gun pointing ahead like an extension of her arm. Just inches from the handle, a cold rush of air caused me to halt then look over my shoulder. A shroud of mist hung above the water swirling and emitting a weak white light. Taking two steps closer, the mist shrunk in size then with a flash like a camera disappeared.

"JoAnn did you see that?" I said but when I turned around she had vanished

JoAnn busted through the door like a cop with a purpose. Taking three steps in, she panned her light around a plain looking stone room like a wine cellar. Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned to call Meredith but squinted hard when she found the door gone. Running her hand over the stone, no traces of the door could be found

"Okay just keep your cool" JoAnn instructed herself remembering her principles from her martial arts training. Those principles had served her well over the years but they had been severely tested in Silent Hill. The waking nightmare they had endured had fought hard to crumble her granite like resolve. So far, she had kept herself balanced not just for her sake but for Meredith's sake as well. The poor girl was a bundle of frayed nerves that was apt to implode any minute

When she couldn't find any way out, she twisted around to find another door at the back of the room that hadn't existed before. Like Alice in Wonderland, she opened the door cautiously being rewarded with a rich warm light. Stepping through the door, she hoped Meredith would be on the other side. It had been wonderful to see her again since the last time they had met had been at Willow's funeral. JoAnn knew Meredith had a secret crush on her since high school an even to this day. If they both survived, she would accept her love without question.

Stepping out of the light, she found herself in a furnished furnace room which she recognized immediately

"It's like the basement from my childhood" She said taking in the cramped space that had been the epicenter of a lot of traumatic memories. In the corner, the furnace squatted like a rusty metal dinosaur. To her left, a set of crooked wooden steps led to the outside and to her mother's garden. Even the mural of a lake and woods on the floor had been reproduced from the original she had painted when she was ten.

Behind her, she heard a rustling sound then a low squeaking. Inspecting the sound, she found bunches of colorful balloons bouncing against the floor joists. Uneasiness clenched in her stomach as her mouth dried up. When she touched them, a menacing chuckle raised the hair on the back of her neck.

"Join us JoAnn join us. Down here we all float and so will you" The voice said completely absent of life as it sucked the air from the room

Clenching the gun tight, JoAnn spun around and despite her best to remain level headed, screamed at the top of her lungs. Before her stood a nightmare that had plagued her since she had turned fourteen when she read IT by Stephen King.

"Hello JoAnn, remember me?" Pennywise the clown sneered, barring pointed teeth like a sharks.

"You you can't be real" JoAnn stuttered meekly, all her strength seeping out of her. So many times after she had read the novel, she had believed Pennywise lived in the basement.

Laughing which sounded like metal scraping, Pennywise ripped off his white painted clown face to reveal Donald, JoAnn's dad who had died four years ago of a stroke. Plucking off the red clown nose, he threw it at her laughing even harder

"Cowardly little bitch" Her father berated her, taking another step forward

JoAnn tried firing only she couldn't lift her arm high enough. Seeing her father again awoke all the demons she had thought long dead. Her father had been a loveless, distant spiteful man who resented JoAnn and her sister Phoebe for being born. Wanting a boy to raise to be a military man like he had been, Donald decided to treat his girls with contempt and cruelty. He had devised ways of humiliating them both to the point they were both ashamed to leave the house. Worse still, he had enjoyed instilling fear into his daughters to show them they would never amount to anything but being babies. He locked both of them in dark places, forced them to handle snakes, and he found out JoAnn hated clowns, he had chased her around the basement dressed as one.

JoAnn eventually developed into a hard nose girl on the outside to hide the fact she was nothing more than a sniveling coward on the outside. She used sports and martial arts to divert people's attention away from the fact she slept with several nightlights, hid when it thundered, and locked the closet door at night. JoAnn had been working on conquering her fears especially the fear of the dark but Silent Hill had set her back a step.

"Look at tall you've gotten. How strong you are. Doesn't matter though, you'll always be irrelevant to me."

"Leave me alone" JoAnn attempted to sound steady only to have her voice crack

"Leave me alone" The father clown mocked "I hated both of you. I wanted a boy someone who I could mold into my image but instead I got two weak ass girls. JoAnn, you act tough but you can't hide the fact you're a scared" The walls around her began to ripple like a stone had been thrown into a pond

"Worthless" Pustules broke out, oozing a sticky noxious goop like tar as they throbbed like a heart beat

"Whiny" The sores broke open vomiting forth cockroaches which JoAnn hated since her father had infested her bed with them when she was eight. They surged forward like a wave seeking out the warmness of JoAnn

"Failure" As the cockroaches washed over her feet, snakes exploded from the sleeves of the father clown's outfit. They ebbed and flowed across the floor, their bodies the color of soot. Jaws snapping, JoAnn danced out of the way as she backed up towards the door. Suddenly the world descended into darkness and her flashlight quit working. Not bothering to contain herself, JoAnn panicked as a hellish orange light pulsated in waves from the sore infested walls. More snakes erupted from the clown as demonic laughter boomed deafening.

Like a demon rising from hell, the wall birthed a visage of her sister who clawed her way out of a pus filled sack. Just mottled white skin over bone, blood seeped from various needled marks on her arms. Phoebe, unlike JoAnn, had wound up turning to drugs to cope with the horrors their father had unleashed on them. She had just completed treatment three weeks ago but this Phoebe shambled forth like a Romero zombie. The blood transformed into a black sludge hissing as it hit the floor. Rearing back its head, it vomited a stream of acidic goo at JoAnn. Her eyes went wide when she saw the sister monster had rusty needles for fingers. Whirling around, she clawed at the door flinging it open to find a narrow brick lined tunnel. Not caring where it led, she pelted headlong as her fears seeped closer to her.

Surrounded in darkness, her heart thudded as sweat poured from her. Her granite exterior cracked away leaving her naked nothing more than a fear infected child. Ahead, she passed through an arched doorway winding up back in the sewers. Running without direction, she about gave up hope when she noticed a light in the distance. Believing it to be Meredith, she ran harder despite a pain in her side. She started to call out when the figures face came into view. Too late to react, JoAnn could only scream as Jacob descended upon her

As I forced open the door JoAnn had disappeared through, I heard a scream faint yet still detectable reached my ears. Praying it to be my imagination, I managed to squeeze through the door. Looking around, nothing special appeared to me until I tripped over an object. Stooping down, my breath caught in my lungs when I found JoAnn's flashlight

"No not JoAnn" I sniffled clutching the flashlight like a talisman. My one source of courage had paid the ultimate price to protect me. This would be the end of my journey for I couldn't go on without her. And I wouldn't be able to express my deepest feelings for her. At the thought of that, my mind finally snapped and nothing could prevent it.

Scrambling to my feet, I ran around the room pounding on the walls regardless of the pain. Nails tore off my fingers as I clawed at the damp stone hoping to find a door. When nothing could be found, I called out her name in chocking hoarse sobs. Only the dripping water answered which drove me further into madness.

Sprinting out of the door, my feet tangled together and I landed hard on the floor. Instead of resting, I hobbled to my feet as blood painted my chin and throat.

"JOANN!" I screamed, turning in circles until I became dizzy. Swinging the crowbar, I smashed it into the walls shouting incoherent curses. Maniacal laughter erupted from my mouth as I collapsed to my knees.

Crawling along the walkway, I licked my fingers of the slimy goo on the floor. It tasted like spoiled milk and unwashed socks but I no longer cared for anything. Everything right now was irrelevant, my life, Jacob and even my mom. Lurching, I vomited violently and when it tapered off I forced my fingers down my throat which brought another wave.

To my surprise, I had crawled all the way to the locked metal gate. Crawling into the corner, I threw my bag away as I rubbed my head against the grating.

"Yoo hoo anyone around?" I said in a harsh sing song voice then giggled "Come on and get me. I am all alone. Mr. Monster won't you help a poor girl out?"

Spreading out on the ground, I called out again as I flicked off my flashlight. Sinking deeper into the void of madness, I felt happy for once that soon the suffering would end. I closed my eyes hoping for something to kill me

Time ceased to exist as I lay huddled on the cold stone floor. Nothing stirred in the darkness human or otherwise. The dripping of the water eventually grated on my worn out nerves. I clamped my hands over my ears but my body screamed in painful protest

Thoughts of what had happened to JoAnn plagued me unraveling more of my fragile psyche. I tried focusing my attention on happier times only they dissolved into thoughts of murder, suicide and lost. I could have committed suicide but JoAnn had the gun and using the crowbar would be too hard. As tears streamed down my face, the luminescence fog returned circling inches in front of me

Whispering kill me, I resided my fate no longer having any strength to resist

"Meredith my love" A haunting echo filled my ears as I snapped my head off the floor

Instead of the shapeless fog, the ghostly image of Willow sat Indian fashion on the floor. Instead of wearing the dress she had been buried in, she wore a shroud of white gauze like material. Her hair had been trussed in a single braided knot which lay draped over her shoulder like a snake

"This can't be real" I croaked

"I miss you Meredith. I miss you so much. I'm so sorry for causing you so much grief" she placed her hands over her face crying silent tears

"Please if you can kill. Be merciful and grant me release from this world. I have nothing left"

"Don't give up honey. I know it's been hard for you since my death and you've suffered greatly. Please fight on honey for me. I will forever sad if you gave up now" Willow stood up motioning for me to do the same

Wearily I arose to me my feet even though I wanted to close my eyes and fall into an eternal sleep. My attention never left hers as she passed through the locked gate. Like magic, it swung open as Willow patiently waited for me. Catching her scent of peaches, the holes in my Swiss cheese mind started closing as part of my sanity returned. I found a well of energy to follow despite pain, both emotionally and psychically, bearing down on me. Focusing my mind on Willow, I ignored the possibility of JoAnn being dead. After retrieving my bag, I walked towards the ghost of my dead lover. Not saying a word, she guided me as her ghostly aura casted a soft light through the tunnel. Turning right, she pointed to a ladder set against the wall

"I'll be waiting for you" She said then faded away

With a herculean effort, I scaled the ladder into a second level of the sewer. In front of me, Willow stood smiling then proceeded down the tunnel. Going left, we walked down the sewer with my confidence growing bit by bit. In life, Willow had that effect on me especially after my attack. Whether I need courage or confidence, she provided it to me without asking anything in return. If it hadn't been for her bolstering my resolve during those dark times, I would have killed myself long ago.

Going right, we traveled down a short tunnel then proceeded left. There Willow stood in front of a ladder pointing upwards

"I need you Willow. I need your strength, your courage, your confidence. I can't go on without you. Silent Hill has broken me down to just a bare skeleton. I'm just too weak" I whispered as my chest tightened up

"Honey, I've always been with you whether you knew it or not and I'll continue to be with you. Your strong Meredith you just don't realize it"

"JoAnn is dead. I killed her" Those words caused a sharp pang of sorrow to slice through my heart

"Don't give up hope on her yet please" Willow said then swallowed me in her ghostly aura. It felt warm like a summer's sunshine, reassuring and calming like a mother's touch and filled my every pore. Like glue, it started patching together my shattered mine infusing me with a renewed strength. The despair and grief vanished as my body began to feel light as if I would float away. I felt like I could now face the nightmare of Silent Hill now without breaking apart

"I'll always love you" She said before dissipating into a thin mist

"I'll always love you too" I said as I felt a fire burning in me. A fire I never knew could exist in such a fragile human being. A fire that seemed Willow had taken control of me for the remainder of the trip. A fire that would hopefully carry me through to the end

"Alright Jacob I am coming for you so get ready"

Scaling the ladder, I took a reassuring breath before emerging into the night world once again.

Crawling out of the sewer, I knelt on the ground in order to get my bearings. By using the sewer, I ought to be somewhere in the resort area of Silent Hill. With the night world back, it would be difficult to navigate especially with monsters lurking around. This time around I didn't feel scared of being attacked. Shouldering my bar, I crossed the street to check out a sign. Looking up, the sign said Riverside Drive meaning I was in the right place.

A gurgle rose behind me as a hand monster lumbered towards me out of the twilight. Instead of fleeing, I stood my ground until it drew closer then I attacked. Swinging the crowbar overhand, I rang its bell dropping it to a knee. Not relenting, I smashed the weapon into its head three more times until it toppled over

"Teaches you to try to rape me you sick fuck" I spat as I plunged the weapon through its skull

Withdrawing the weapon, two more monsters shambled forth causing me to flee instead of fight. Halfway down the road, a dog blitzed me from the bushes slamming me to the road. Fighting it off, I slipped out of its reach as another dog joined the fray. Circling around to the side, the dog nipped my heel as I darted toward a building. As I sprinted through a parking lot, something told me to jog right which I did as a dog skittered across the tarmac. In front of me, Annie's bar offered refuge as long as the fucking door opened for me. Hitting the door with my full weight, I toppled inside slamming the door with my foot. Collapsed on the floor, I caught my breath as the dogs growled like the hounds of doom outside. Without a gun, it would be damn near impossible to deal with the dogs. Making sure the door was secure; I went about exploring the bar. As I stood in front of a long wooden bar, a glint of metal caught my light from the back wall. Hopping over the bar, I ran my hand over a game changer making me smile. Removing the double barrel shotgun, this would help tremendously only I didn't have ammo. In a frantic search, I tore apart the bar, throwing drawers in a frenzied tornado until I found a small blue box. Opening it, I counted 38 shells which widened the grin on my face. Loading it, I wondered how a small girl with a broken finger would fire this beast

_"I'll deal with it_" I thought as I cracked open the front door of the bar

Stepping out, a dog leapt like a missile towards me, jaws spread wide open. Bracing the gun against my hip, I pulled the trigger with my left hand. The force knocked me against the door as the concussion rippled like a wave through me. Groaning, I shook the cobwebs out of my head and found the dog blown in two

"And you are out of her" I said warm blood trickling down my back as my gash reopened

Popping the gun open, I inserted a shell when the second dog snuck up on the side of me. Whirling around, the dog flattened me as its tentacles from its mouth scratched my face. Before it could eat my face off, I shoved the barrel down its gullet and pulled the trigger. Gore erupted painting my face as its head erupted like Mt. St. Helen. Shoving the corpse of me, I spat the disgusting goop of my lips as I picked brains from my hair.

Once clean, I fished out a length of cord from my bag fashioning a harness for my gun. Slipping the gun over my head, I duct taped my flashlight to the shoulder of my bag. Checking the surrounding area for intruders, I left the parking lot and onto Riverside Drive. Collecting my thoughts, my mind appeared to be holding stable for the time being

"Thank you Willow because of you, I now have the strength to carry on and find JoAnn" I said as a single tear streaked down my cheek

Head swiveling, I trotted down the remainder of Riverside Drive hanging a right on West Sandford Drive. Around me, the unnatural darkness hugged me close while the silence kissed me coldly.

Two hand monsters pursued me drawing close then backing off. I didn't dare shoot them with my limited ammo supply. Instead, I increased my speed, my feet thudding hollowly on the road

Passing by a blocked of Bachman Road on my right, Silent Hill threw me another curve ball. The road ahead terminated not into a void but instead a series of metal grates formed a maze like walkway. Since there were no barriers, one false step and I would plunge into darkness. I feared heights like earlier when I peered into the void on Bradbury Street except I was too worn out to be scared. Now with a clearer mind, that fear bubbled up but I couldn't let it seize hold of me. Checking my equipment, I place one foot onto a grate, swallowed bile then proceeded further out. To my dismay, the pathway narrowed dangerously at the corners making me step on egg shells. A couple of times, I had to rest when my legs turned to jelly

In the midst of nowhere, I wondered how much further I had to walk. Peering over the edge, vertigo clogged my head my vision doubling. Not wasting anytime, I continued on until I reached the end where the grating ended about three feet from the edge of the road.

"Okay Meredith you can do this" I encouraged myself except my feet remained cemented to the ground.

_"I could turn around and find another way around" _I thought then shouted out loud "QUIT MAKING EXCUSES AND JUST FUCKING DO IT!"

Tossing my bag and gun across, I calmed my breathing, took a few steps back then jumped across the abyss. Landing on my belly, I started slipping until I found my footing and hauled my carcass onto the road. Being safe, my mind started unraveling again, the thoughts of JoAnn dead creeping back in. twisting my broken finger, I told myself if you give up, you'll let Willow down. Climbing to my feet, I walked about two feet when the Lakeview Hotel emerged from the otherworldly darkness.

Instead of being welcoming, it had all the appeal of Dracula's castle. Clumsily, I held the shotgun tight to my chest as I walked down a path between rows of lush evergreen hedges. With each step, I peeked over the foliage, prepared for an attack. Approaching the double doors to the lobby, a shadow flickered from beyond the glass. Panning my light inside, I saw the grand staircase leading up to the second story. The music box which I had loved to play stood like a silent sentinel in front of me. To my left I vaguely saw the receptionist desk where my mother had greeted hundreds of guests

Wiggling the door, I grumbled when unfortunately it didn't open. Stealthily, I crept to the back of the building pausing here and there to check windows. Silence continued to be my dear friend as nothing lethal stirred in the twilight gloom

Though the town had transformed, I could still hear the faint lapping of Toluca Lake against the shore. No amount of persuasion could make me row out into the lake. Rounding the building, I stopped abruptly at the manifestation before me. Walking from the building, my mother led a young me down to the docks. Wearing a powder blue dress, my mother was barefooted with her hair flowing gracefully over her shoulders. Under one arm, she carried a canvas and her paints. The young me, who I guessed to be about nine, clung to the other hand.

"Stay close Merry" My mother said using her pet name for me

"Why are you so scared of the town momma?" The young me replied, looking at her with eyes wide with curiosity.

Kneeling in front of me, my mother smoothed my fiery red hair then kissed me tenderly

"Merry my sweet, this town is different from any other town"

"Why that?" the young me answered

"Strange things happen here Merry. People change or disappear without a trace. The Order especially scares me at what they do honey. You remember what I've told you when you go outside?"

"Don't go alone, don't go wondering, don't stay out after dark and don't talk to strangers" I recited from memory

"Excellent honey"

"Momma, is daddy going to be coming home?"

"I don't know Merry"

"I hope he never comes home. He scares me a lot Momma" The young me began to cry as my mother hugged her close

"Shush little one, soon we will be gone from Silent Hill. Soon we shall be safe. Now come on and let's enjoy the lake" With that, my mother led the young me down the walk disappearing into the gloom

Though Willow's ghost had solidified my weakened foundation, seeing this part of my past brought a wave of grief over me. Teetering, I lowered myself to the ground sobbing softly. Sticking my knees under my chin, I wrapped my arms tightly around them as tears continued to flood over. I did my best to cry as quietly as possible to prevent the monsters from hearing me.

"Come on Meredith, don't break down again. Willow won't be saving you this time" I mumbled, wiping my eyes dry "Get ahold of yourself, you can cry when you get home" Letting out one giant sigh, I rose to my feet clutching my heart

"I will always love you Momma. I promise to avenge your name" I whispered closing my eyes for a moment's peace.

When I opened them, I stifled a scream when the ghost of my mother stood in front of me. Numbly, I let her run a hand across my face her touch colder than dry ice. Smiling at me, she pointed to a fountain off in the distance as she faded again from my vision

Forcing my legs to work, I inspected the fountain to find a dish running away with a spoon plaque.

"Momma used to sing me that song to me" I thought pocketing the object wondering where it belonged

At the back door of the hotel, I opened it with a horror movie screech as I cringed. Foul stale air seeped forth as the gloom lingered along the floors and walls. Crossing the threshold, I started down the hallway when I caught sight of an object on the wall. A map of the hotel hung with a red circle around the lobby and the name Merry written over room 315

"_That's where I and momma used to stay when things got bad at home_" I thought as a sense of uneasiness washed over me " _Things are about to come to a head_"

Like a burglar, I crept into the main hallway looking left to discover a blockade of furniture. Chairs, tables, beds all had been piled to the ceiling which prevented me from reaching the first floor rooms.

Instead of heading downstairs, I jiggled the lobby door in front of me to have no success. Further on down, the other lobby door failed to yield to my furious pounding. Grumbling, I swung around towards the Lakeshore Restaurant and the door to the employee areas. When my luck failed I kicked the door violently over and over

"FUCK! This is ten times worse than those fucking creatures" I hissed venomously which caused a light to flash in my head. Slapping my forehead, I laughed like a loon as I lifted the crowbar in my left hand. Unfortunately, the crowbar proved ineffective against the doors so I pitched it down the hall cursing like a sailor.

"Settle down Meredith or you'll explode again. Just take it easy, baby steps." I instructed myself while taking relaxing breathes.

Retrieving my crowbar, I bit my lip ring, took another reassuring breath then descended into the tomb like basement.

When I reached the bottom, I screamed clear and piercing in the graveyard silence. Tucked in the corner, a mannequin leaned against the wall holding a sign that said Venus Tears with an arrow to the right. Leaning on my knees, I panted with sweat dripping in my eyes. Icy fingers danced along my spine as I glanced quickly at the mannequin again

My mother had had a mannequin in the basement for when she had made her dresses. The damn thing scared the living daylights out of me with its blank expressionless face, its lifeless eyes and its dismembered body resting on a metal ring. Countless nights, I had vivid nightmares of the thing eating me alive in bed.

Once my heart stopped thudding, I hesitantly approached it where I screamed again. Shining my light on it, the mannequin's face looked eerily similar to mine minus the hair. Wrinkling my nose, I smacked the face feeling the fear leave me so I smacked it again

"You're not so scary are you?" I said pointing my middle finger at it

After conquering my fear of mannequins, I focused my attention on the door to the bar. Running my hand over the smooth wood, I fiddled the brass knob wondering if I would be granted access. Chanting please open, I twisted the knob and exclaimed holy shit as the door creaked open like a tomb door. As I placed a foot through the doorway, a loud thud made me jump a foot. Heart pounding, I spun around to find the mannequin missing from the corner. Panning my light around, I couldn't locate it so I decided to dismiss it when a sound like someone carving through raw meat filled the silence.

A hideous screech like an animal being tortured mingled with a crackling and a snapping. Gulping, I strained my ears to locate the sounds while I checked my shotgun. Clumsy heavy footsteps resounded announcing the presence of a new enemy. Taking a stance, I watched as a figure rounded the corner clutching the wall for balance.

The mannequin's head had been twisted violently around resting at an excruciating sickening angle. Violent jagged gashes crisscrossed its porcelain white skin like hideous tattoos. With each step, the wounds pulsated a foamy pinkish red blood. As I watched horrified, the thing screeched as blades erupted from its forearms exposing a patchwork of muscle. To me, the blades looked like the blades of a straight edge razor. Clicking the blades together, it slit its skin shuddering in a way I took for pleasure. Flicking the blades open and close faster, it stumbled on legs that wouldn't bend properly. Banging its head against its shoulder, it leapt at me with a speed like the Willow monsters in the school.

Sighting the creature in my sights, I pulled both triggers blowing its foul head clean off in an explosion of gore. Collapsing, it shook once then laid still as I dropped the gun. Approaching the body, I scanned over the remains looking for answers.

What came to mind hit me with a hard right to the face. I've fought monsters symbolizing my rape, my fear of dogs and bugs and now I believed this creature symbolized not only my fear of mannequins but my self-destruction. In high school and after my rape, I cut myself, with a straight razor, to carve out the poison and because I thought I was ugly. I moved about like this creature; stiff, numbly and unable to coordinate my movements.

"Dear fucking god, what is happening in this town?" I asked myself for the millionth time today. Shaking my head, I turned back to the bar keeping an eye on the body as if it would rise like a zombie

Once inside, the stale smell of cigars and cedar sickening, I scoped out the bar until I found a lost treasure. Bipsy, my black jointed teddy, sat between dusty liquor bottles looking at me with his brown button eyes. I forgot him when I left Silent Hill and seeing him again brought a smile to my face

"Bipsy" I whispered, squeezing him tightly savoring the musty smell as an object dug into my neck. Removing the key, it said freezer door on it providing me with a valuable clue.

Only problem was that I couldn't reach the employee areas or could I? Spreading my map on the bar, I discovered another way to the sealed off employee areas. Tucking my map and Bipsy away, I found the door at the back of the bar and proceeded through into a tiny dingy kitchen. Entering into a hallway, a mannequin monster plummeted from the ceiling coming close to scalping me. Rearing back, it sliced sideways, the blades whooshing through the air as I struggled to avoid the attacks. Using my gun, I barreled towards it shoving it hard into a wall. Not taking any chances, I sped down the halls as the thing pursued me.

Finding the appropriate door, I bolted through then up a staircase ending up in the sealed off employee areas.

Checking my map, I found the freezer room when the shadows moved to my right. Shining my light, it turned out to be nothing or maybe it was? I kept a close eye on my back side as I walked closer to the freezer room. Using the key, I cracked open the door like the lid of a crypt. A fetid smell of must and decayed food clung to me like a wet blanket. With my crowbar, I jammed it into the door to prevent accidental closure. Inside I found another key along with a plaque of a cat playing a fiddle

Bagging the piece, the key would grant me access to the sealed off lobby. Leaving the employee areas, the once locked door opened allowing me to finally unlock the lobby door and continue my journey

Passing into the lobby, I abruptly halted as another paranormal event played before my eyes. My mother, loaded down with suitcases, dashed across the lobby. By the door, my uncle stood guard with a hard grim look etched over his shaggy bearded face. The young me clung tenaciously to his hand dressed in a floral print nightgown and a haunted look on my face. Handing the luggage to my uncle, momma knelt before the young me embracing her in a hug

"Momma, why we have to leave now? It still dark out and you woke me up" the young me said rubbing her eyes

"Because if we don't leave now honey we might never leave this town" My mother replied scooping me up in her arms. Dark circles highlighted her eyes making her look like a raccoon. Always prim and proper, her hair stood in a disheveled mess along with her dress. I remembered looking at my mother's hands and had noticed she had chewed her nails to bloody nubs.

The young me took one last look around then fell asleep on my momma's shoulders

"We will be able to leave won't we?" My uncle asked in a fear laced voice. He looked around the lobby as if a monster would jump out any minute

"I hope so for Meredith's sake. You remember the way I told you to take?"

"Yes I do. He won't come after us will he?"

My mother failed to answer that question as she followed my uncle out into the night where they disappeared

Wiping tears from my eyes, I walked over to the receptionist desk leaning against it like a crutch. In my mind, a movie played of all the wonderful times I spent with my Momma here. I could have spent the rest of my life just reminiscing but I had questions to be answered. The key I had found told me to proceed to the cloak room on the second floor

Around the staircase, a mannequin monster stumbled down the steps. As I prepared to end its life, a screech sounded to my right followed by a hissing. Another monster popped up from the other side of the staircase like a hellish jack in the box. A glint of metal flashed followed by warmness spreading down my face. Tumbling to the floor, my gun bounced across the floor as the two mannequin monsters joined forces. My vision blurring from the blood, I scrambled for the gun clutching it as a blade sliced the carpet in front of me.

Rolling away, I aimed wildly pulling the trigger where I caught one monster in the chest. Toppling over, it thrashed around like a dying fish as the second one raised its arm to carve me up. I caught this one in the face with a load of buckshot killing it instantly.

Not taking any chances, I hobbled to my feet braining the thrashing creature with the butt of my gun. Touching my cheek, I had been gifted with a superficial gash under my old scar. Tearing a strip of duct tape, I bandaged it then counted the shells remaining which turned out to be 20

"Shit" I muttered as I holstered the gun while walking up the steps.

Holding the crowbar tight, I turned right into a hallway leading to the cloak room. Busting through the door, only silence greeted me which proved my undoing. Bracing the door with my crowbar, I curled up in the corner taking a much needed break. Willow's confidence boost was holding but I could feel cracks forming. How much longer until I turn into a babbling nutcase again?

After drinking and eating a little, I explored the room finding a cow jumping over a moon plaque. Tacked to the wall above it, a note read come to room 315, it is time sweet sister.

Twenty shells wouldn't be enough to vent all my pent up rage out on my brother. Unfortunately, I didn't want to expend all my ammo so I kept the gun tucked away. Clutching the crowbar like a sword, I left the room finding the staircase to the third floor proceeding with a fiery determination

Taking the steps two at a time, I ignored the pain and exhaustion threatening to cripple me. Soon I would have much needed answers to why Jacob had killed all those girls, the connection to my momma and much more. On the other hand, would I be able to handle the truth? What if he divulged a revelation that would have negative repercussions on my life? I decided if he did and had killed JoAnn, I would kill him then take my own life. On the other hand, if JoAnn lived somehow, it would take a miracle to find her

Resting at the top, I became aware of a change to the hotel. With no power, the rest of the hotel had been a darkened house of horrors. Here, on the third floor, decorative sconces emitted a soft warm light casting delicate shadows across the carpeting. Everything looked brand new as if repairs had just been made. Wood glistened with varnish, the paint stood out in brilliant tones and I could faintly smell a clean lemony smell. It unnerved me seeing this transformation and I wondered if I would see two little dead girls chopped up on the floor.

Passing a door, I noticed it possessed neither knobs nor hinges. Touching the wall, I cringed at the peculiar tingling as if the building had taken on a life of its own. Sweat poured off me in torrents the closer I drew to room 315. A stone of dread weight down my guts the minute I stood in front of the door.

A mural of the man in the moon decorated the door with three pieces missing. Carefully, I inserted the three pieces being rewarded with a click. Shoving the door open, I holstered the gun proceeding forward with hesitant footsteps

Ahead of me lay a small kitchenette flowing into a dining room area. Clothes lay draped over the counter like ivy and books were scattered across the floor like stones from an avalanche. My feet shushed across the carpeting as I turned the corner peeking behind me. Peeking into a bathroom, I found nothing except a thick layer of grime. Marching into the main part of the room, the oily blackness looked like it could seep through the glass like an organic acid.

With his back to me, Jacob sat in a moldy blue recliner with his hands cupped under his chin. With a nuclear rage tearing through me like a tornado, I stormed over to him shoving the shotgun tight against his head

"Is that any way to say hello" Jacob chuckled waving a sausage finger at me

"Where is JoAnn you sick fuck? Talk or I'll splatter your brains over the walls" I couldn't believe the tone of my voice; icy, callous and devoid of reasoning. It seemed a complete change had transpired from the minute I had stepped into this room. If I didn't suppress my rage, I would kill Jacob in cold blood along with all the answers. Fighting against my hostile self, I succeeded in lowering the gun a notch.

"My, it seems this place is getting to you to sister? Doesn't it feel good?"

"Fuck you. Tell me where JoAnn is "

"Safe for now. I want to kill her slowly for escaping me and I want to make you watch"

"You're sick Jacob, very sick" I answered, raising the gun in a second as he arose from the chair. A vision flashed in my head of me pulling the trigger, laughing like a maniac as my brother's head disappeared in a cloud of gore. Swallowing that vision away, I kept the gun trained on him as he circled in front of me. "I want to know how you are alive. I want to know what momma has to do with all this"

"Momma?" Jacob laughed coarsely, slapping his knee "What are you ten? Oh momma"

"Stop please" I screamed, jabbing the gun at him in now trembling hands. Instead of feeling the murderous rage, I heard cracks breaking open in my mental foundation. What would happen first, me killing Jacob in a blind rage or me breaking down to be easy prey for my brother? Closing my eyes, I summoned up the image of Willow hoping for another miracle. To my fortune, my emotional roller coaster slowed down a bit allowing me focus clearly again. However, I knew it wouldn't last much longer

"You want answers right my sweet little sister?" Jacob's tone dropped dramatically turning into a menacing hiss. Narrowing his eyes at me, he cracked his knuckles as he walked over to the window

Folding his hands over his paunchy belly, he said "Don't you love this Silent Hill? It's so wonderful, very wonderful indeed. Somehow, someway, father found this part of Silent Hill. Not the fog Silent Hill but this Silent Hill. This part of the town that brings your fears to life and dissolves into the rusty corrupted blood soaked hell descent. So beautiful" Jacob finished with a tear rolling down his cheek

Licking my lips, I shot the question that I wanted answered the most "How are you still alive?"

"After the Order captured me, they drugged me so I would be more complacent. When I awoke I was chained to a wall in a basement. Father had been watching me the whole time" Jacob grinned another toothy grin at me "He was sorely disappointed that you got away but he didn't care. He told me that you were weak and wouldn't be suitable for his plans."

"What plans?"

"He forced me into Wish House Orphanage Meredith. It's a hellish place where they force the teachings of the Order to unlucky children. If you're really unlucky, they shove you into an old water treatment plant they use as a prison. Some of the children who enter never leave. Well anyhow, I was in that place until I turned eighteen and by then I had studied their religion over and over. Father told me that I was ready to carry on the legacy of the family which I did with eager yearning."

"And you killed father correct?"

Jacob let loose a deep rumbling hoarse laugh as he slapped his knee "You don't remember do you sister?"

"Remember what?" I said becoming uneasy by his tone of voice

"You killed father when you were fifteen"

"Bullshit Jacob" I replied my words sounding flat and void of power

"Think Meredith, think real hard about it. I won't do anything while you think"

Lowering my shotgun to my waist, I stared at the far wall as I dug deep into my brain. My head started throbbing as I tunneled further into my memory vault. Finally, fuzzy images started flickering like an old reel of film. I saw myself driving towards Silent Hill in my uncle's old army jeep even though I wouldn't have my license for another year. The closer I drew to the town the more the butterflies bounced around in my stomach. When I got into town, I drove to my old family house which brought up old bitter memories. I knocked hard on the front door and when I didn't get an answer I tried the back door. When I still didn't receive an answer, I sat on the front porch until my father walked up the sidewalk. All these years, he hadn't changed much except his hair had started to thin on top.

"Meredith what are you doing here?" His voice a cold dagger aimed at my heart

"I came to forgive you and to accept you" I replied hoping he wouldn't see through my lie

Coming closer, he stood at the bottom step looking me over with suspicious eyes. I fidgeted as his eyes scrutinized me never looking me in the eye. Finally he ascended the steps and took my hand into his. Leaning in he kissed me gently on the head then turned and walked down the steps

"Let's talk Meredith what do you say?" My father asked me his broad back to me

"Where?" I replied biting my tongue when I started to stutter

"The old lighthouse will do"

Not bothering to answer, I walked down the steps and past my father who looked off into the distance. When I climbed into the jeep, he climbed in besides me folding his hands neatly in his lap. Through the streets we drove never saying a word until we reached the dock that lead to the lighthouse. As we walked across the old wooden structure, I stuck my hand in my hoodie touching the bayonet hidden inside. It was eight inches long, double edged and wickedly sharp. Closer to the lighthouse we drew until my father whirled around on me scaring me stiff.

"You didn't come here to forgive me Meredith" My father said folding his arms across his broad chest. His eyes narrowed to slits as he bared his teeth in an inhuman grin "What's your real plan?"

"To forgive you father I swear" I replied the stutter in my voice becoming more pronounced. My hand shook badly as I gripped the handle of the bayonet. The moment to strike wasn't ready yet and I began to wonder if he would drop his guard

Unfolding his arms, my father planted his hands on my shoulders with an excruciating pressure. Adverting my eyes, I struggled to breathe as panic closed off my lungs. Numbness sang in my hand from gripping the bayonet so tightly.

"Tell me your real intentions now or I'll force it out of you" My father hissed like a pissed off snake

"To get revenge" I muttered

"What child?" My father asked

In a lighting quick motion, I whipped out the bayonet and shoved it upwards. My father had no time to react as the steel slid into his chest. I surprised myself at the brutality I showed as I shoved the knife deeper into his chest. I thought I would freeze but instead I had punctured my father's filthy black heart

"To get revenge you insidious fuck" I screamed, my anger fueling me as I finished shoving the knife to the hilt.

My father's eyes went wild as he struggled to pull away from me. Blood flew from his lips as he staggered backwards. Taken completely by surprise, he had no chance to retaliate against me. Tugging the bayonet free, I went to stab him again but he brought his left arm up. No caring, I sliced clean through the flesh and muscle of his arm as he struggled to stay up right. With my anger giving me focus, I whipped the bayonet around driving it once into his belly. Withdrawing it, I stabbed him again then three more times in quick succession. Gagging on blood, my father collapsed to his knees, his eyes like that of a wounded animal

"This is for hurting my mother. This is for ruining our family. This is for hurting me. And this is for taking my brother you worthless fuck" I screamed, my words carrying like a storm across the lake.

Storming around him, I grabbed a handful of his red hair. I didn't know if he was dead or not but I wanted to make damn sure.

"This is what you get" I hissed into his ear as I brought the bayonet under his chin. I had to apply little pressure as I slid the blade across his throat. Blood erupted like a volcano splashing across the dock and staining the boards red. My father's body thudded to the ground as I stood behind him sounding like a rabid animal. Going to him, I pushed with all my might on his body. The blood acted like oil allowing me to slide his body into the lake. Along with the body, I threw the bayonet into the water as well.

Once the deed was done, I ran back to the jeep as my anger diminished. Taking its place, regret and remorse at what I had done crept in. I had acted irrational allowing my feelings to guide me instead of finding another way to solve the problem. But the deed was done and there was no turning back now.

I sped through Silent Hill like a bat out of hell and spent the rest of the drive home with my hands locked tight around the wheel. Once home, I stripped off my bloody clothes and burned them then cleaned the specks of blood from my uncle's jeep. My mother never asked where I had been and I wasn't about to tell her anyway. Over the days and weeks that followed, for some strange reason, the murder of my father slowly faded away. Once a year had went by, the memory no longer existed in my mind

"Oh my god" I muttered the memory bringing a cold shiver up my spine

"See you did kill father Merry" Jacob replied

"Yes I did but I'll tell you one thing"

"What's that?"

"I don't regret doing it at all. He had that coming Jacob and so do you"

"You bitch I should kill you right now but I won't. Jacob curled his fists into white knuckle balls with the joints popping. Veins throbbed in his neck as he ground his teeth.

"That's right; you haven't told me about the murders"

"I decided the time was right for my revenge for father's murder. I figured you or mother had something to do with it. But when I finally found you and mother, I discovered she was dead. But did I give up? Oh no, If I couldn't kill her then I would kill you"

"You've been watching me?" I asked shocked and horrified

"Oh yes I've done research on you and know all about you and Willow, your rape, everything dear sister"

"Okay explain the murders" I said my mouth feeling like the desert

"Like I said since I couldn't kill mother, I would kill you but not just kill you out right. I wanted to torment me so that's why I targeted those girls. Those girls that were Willow's friends and you knew so well. I abducted them and took them to Alchemilla Hospital where I dressed them up like mother before killing them. I hoped to lure you out with the bodies and objects from your past and it worked flawlessly" He answered flopping back down into the recliner

"Why did you kill them so gruesomely?"

"The eyes I removed for I couldn't stand mother's accusing stare she used to give father. The throat I severed because of mother's constant scorn against father and for how you killed him. And the female organs because I wish you had never been born Meredith. Even before the change, you were always mother's favorite. I couldn't stand the way she loved you so much and ignored her own son" Jacob leapt from the chair brandishing a sickle shaped knife

"The time has come sweet sister, JoAnn is waiting and so is your death"

"I'll blow your head off" I said though it felt like all my energy had leaked out of me. The gun felt heavy as lead in my sweaty hands as Jacob approached closer

Stepping closer, he backed off snickering as he tossed the knife from hand to hand. In a complete display of disgust, he slit his palm licking the blood as he bared his teeth. For a second, his face transformed into a demon with the mouth splitting wide open like a snakes.

"_Like he wants to consume my soul_" I thought standing in completely horror at the transformation.

Raising the gun, I pulled both triggers but being a dumbshit, I forgot to load the damn thing. Unprepared, Jacob charged me slamming me into the far wall. Groaning, I slide down into a heap as Jacob brought a right fist into my mouth. Slumping over, I tried crawling away only to bend back my broken finger. A searing rage of pain coursed through my body as I cried out. Instead of blackening out, I used the pain to refocus my attention on saving my hide.

"You were always weak Meredith. You needed big brother to protect when you were a kid and you still need someone to protect you. I'm surprised you made it this far without JoAnn helping you. Pathetic" A swift kick to my ribs followed being accompanied by his evil laughter

With my good hand, I scrambled into my bag finding my pocket knife. Opening it, I held it against my body as Jacob kicked me again. Grabbing my hair, he pulled me off the floor and I knew the time to strike was close. Twisting me around, I screamed plunging the knife into his left eye. Popping like a grape, blood and eye fluid sputtered everywhere as Jacob threw me down. In a mad pirouette, he struggled to free the knife from his face

"BITCH!" His voice like thunder as his hand clamped down on the hilt of the knife

Not wasting a second, I found two shells quickly loading them into the breach of the gun. Behind me, Jacob had finally yanked the knife free throwing it on the floor. Growling like a rabid dog, he wobbled towards me, one hand holding his ruined eye, the other clutching the knife

"Fuck taking you to JoAnn, I'm going to gut you right now" Jacob bellowed before he lunged at me with the knife raised. When I whirled around with the shotgun, his eyes went wild with fright

"Game over fuck face" I said before pulling both triggers

A concussive blast ripped through the room as buckshot tore through Jacob's plump belly. Blood and organs sprayed everywhere as his body thumped to the ground. Clutching his midsection, he gurgled blood in a fountain as I stood over him

"You. Will never. Find JoAnn." Jacob said thickly, grinning a bloody grin then another transformation happened. His face softened, a warm light spilling from him as took on the form of Jacob before his consumption by evil

"Meredith, I am sorry for all this." His voice faint like wind through the trees "I never meant to hurt you sister, I love you" Then he exhaled his last breath, shuddered and lay still.

Kneeling over my brother, I placed a hand over his heart and when I found he was truly dead, I said "I forgive you too Jacob. This wasn't your fault at all. But you're wrong, I know where JoAnn is"

Though he had turned into a psychotic killer, I felt remorse and empathy for him. If it hadn't been for my father, maybe Jacob would have turned out alright. Then again, if he hadn't fallen to the darkness, there could have been the possibility I would have. With a final farewell, I left the body of my brother behind as I prepared myself for the long trek to Alchemilla Hospital

Exiting room 315, the hotel had transformed into the hell descent just like the school had done. No longer were there multiple hallways but one singular narrow spaced hallway in front of me. The door hovered inches above a floor constructed of the same dingy metal grating as before. An oily smoke seeped through the grates bringing the odor of charred flesh. Sheets of decaying skins hung limply on the walls where they pulsated like something wanted to get out. Overhead, wire mesh curved into a dome scaling into the nightmarish darkness. Shapes fluttered out in the darkness not coming close to give me a definitive look.

Closing my eyes, I dropped down on the grates where they swayed causing me to drop to all fours. When the swaying stopped, I rose to my feet using the gun to test the floor before heading forward. On the wall, the bulges oozed a vicious white fluid and emitted a chocking smell of sulfur. As I watched, my mother's face appeared in a distorted image screaming a silent scream.

Looking away, I dashed down the hall as something heavy clanged against the mesh overhead. Keeping my head down while trying not to choke on the fumes, I wound up at the end of the hallway. Looking around, I couldn't find the steps to the second floor because a hole had replaced them in the floor. Looking down, a chute twisted downwards but where did it go? As I debated, thuds sounded from behind me as mannequin monsters emerged from the floor grating.

"Shit" I muttered realizing the chute would be the only way out. Saying a silent prayer, I crawled into the hole disappearing into the unknown

My light bounced off the metal walls as I felt like clothes in a dryer. Every cut and sore on my body radiated with fresh pain as I bounced along the hellish ride. Before long, I found myself shooting out of the tunnel like a cannonball. Hovering in midair, I landed in an unpleasant smelling pile of gore. Wiping the shit from my mouth, I scanned the area finding myself in a transformed lobby.

Staggering from the gore, I stumbled over to a single metal door that had replaced the outside doors in the lobby. Scrawled across the top, the words **To Hospital** confused me. How could this door lead to the hospital when it was clear across Silent Hill? I chocked it up to another bizarre thing which I'll never understand.

Grasping the handle, I flung open the door to reveal a staircase winding upwards. Replacing the shotgun with the crowbar, I started up the twisty metal staircase. Round and round I went like a hapless victim in an old Boris Karloff movie. As I progressed, I felt something cold and slimy like overcooked asparagus drop on my neck. Screaming, I felt a hot poker of heat burrow into my flesh as I grasped the unknown assailant. Pulling the fucker free, I held it up to the light where my stomach lurched. In my hand, a leech wriggled vigorously except it was the color of pitch and possessed a malformed human head. Studying it closer, I screeched dropping it like a hot coal when I found the face looked like mine.

Stamping the fucker, a yellowish gas escaped which seared in my lungs like tear gas. Above me, more of the leeches plopped like rain down on my head. Sprinting up the steps, I batted the things away as I didn't dare stop. In my blind escape, I didn't see the door until I collided head on with it. Falling flat, stars twinkled in my eyes as a leech dropped on my nose

"Get the fucking hell off me!" I shouted, plucking the icky thing off me

Hobbling to my feet, I checked the battered blue door finding a push bar. Pushing it with all my weight, I tumbled though into a room.

Whipping my head around, the door had magically disappeared along with the leech things. Checking my body, I found two of them that ended up squished beneath my boot heel

"Okay Meredith, what did those things represent? Silent Hill is bringing all your fears to life and you pretty much nailed all the others in what they represent" I said to myself as I continued searching my person. "Hmm, maybe they represent how life is sucking me dry and poisoning me? How all my problems are draining me and my fears are poisoning me? Fuck, I don't have time for this shit"

Breathing a loud sigh, I started forward wondering how much longer I had before I crashed. Judging by the urge to cry, I didn't have long before Willow's patchwork fell away. If I didn't find JoAnn quickly and leave Silent Hill, the breakdown would be my end. Part of me wanted that ending and I struggled hard to beat it into submission. Finding Bipsy, I hugged him tight until I felt a little more stable

"It's almost over. Just find JoAnn, leave Silent Hill and you'll be alright" I muttered, squeezing my bear tighter for it sounded easier said than done

Replacing my bear, I gripped the crowbar as I flung open a door set crooked in the wall in front of me

Stooping through the unusual low doorway, I stepped forth into a room adorned with body bags swinging from hooks. The rusty metal grating still made up the floor offset by sections with chipped bloodstained tile. Nudging one of the filthy bags which looked like cocoons, I waited for a reply. When the thing inside didn't leap out, I pushed through the hellish forest breathing through my mouth. Like earlier, the air felt muggy reeking with the stench of decaying flesh. It would take a bleach bath just to rid me of this smell

As I passed a body bag, it shook violently and I barely leapt clear as a headless corpse sprung forth. A toothsome maw sprang open from its chest the teeth like broken bits of porcelain. Thrashing around on the hook embedded in its back, the body snapped its jaws as I ran like the wind. More bags sprang open, one catching the strap of my bag as I screamed. Spinning around, I slammed the crowbar across the teeth which released me. Finally, a door loomed in the corner as the headless bodies all shrieked like a chorus of banshees.

Slamming the door behind me, the hallway curved steeply downward to my left. Another massive industrial fan churned the fetid air to my right. Going down, light flickered from hundreds of black candles strewn about the floor. Corroded metal panels held together by strips of thick iron banding constructed the walls. To me, it felt like being trapped in an upside down derelict ship. At my feet, ragged chewed holes gave me cause for concern for whatever made them had serious chompers.

Arriving at the end, a sign hung askew above a double pair of dinged up metal doors. Shining my light up, I read Morgue and a cold grip of fear caressed me. Looking inside, I found JoAnn tied down on a lopsided gurney. Not caring what else lay on the other side, I squeezed through the opening. I didn't have time to worry about monsters or traps for my body wouldn't hold out much longer. In my haste, I ran to JoAnn who lay draped under a filthy sheet.

"Hey come on JoAnn it's me Meredith" I said patting her cheek lightly. Blood caked the left side of her face from a gash above her ear. With her bandage torn open, her left arm looked like hamburger from where the dog had bitten her. In my light, her skin gleamed sickly, the color of ashes

Moaning softly, JoAnn cracked open puffy eyes blinking hard at me. Reaching out, she delicately touched my face then painfully smiled

"Sorry for leaving you" Her voice sounding like gravel then she collapsed into a coughing fit.

"It's okay. I'm just glad you're okay" I replied helping her up. Holding her gently, I gave her the rest of my water and a few aspirin. Tearing off a piece of duct tape, I closed the wound on her head

"Where's Jacob?" She asked me rubbing her throbbing head

"Dead, I shot him" I said with a hint of remorse

"Amen sister. Bastard ambushed me in the sewers and I thought he was going to kill me"

"Can you walk? I really like to leave" I told her as I searched the room wondering if this seemed too easy. A voice of reason told me that I should be concerned but I drowned it out. If something bad was going to happen, I would hopefully be long gone by then.

"Sure if you help me" She answered, swinging her long legs off the table. Grabbing my neck, she made sure she didn't hurt me as she stood on wobbly legs.

"Gun is over there. Don't know about ammo though"

JoAnn walked by herself with my hands on her hips. She teetered slightly as she picked up the gun. Like two drunken people trying to dance, we made our way towards the door when a familiar voice rang out.

"Meredith" The voice sounded garbled and thick like an old man with emphysema yet I easily recognized my father's baritone voice underneath. It washed over us like a wave as it bounced off the walls. With a bang, the morgue doors slammed shut followed by a deep rumbling. All light sources were extinguished including my light while a menacing laugh reverberated like thunder.

"You killed Jacob but no matter he was weak" My father said "I bet he forget to tell you one important detail. There was another reason your mother abandon Silent Hill. It wasn't just because she feared me my daughter. It was because I made her a deal with the devil per say. After we captured Jacob, we were going to come after you. Your mother was distraught and wanted to do anything to save you. I told her to join the Order or you would die. Instead she fled with you from Silent Hill"

"That's not true" I shouted back into the darkness

"Believe it or not Meredith. Jacob failed to drag you into the darkness but I won't fail"

With those dark words, torches flashed to life along the walls casting harsh light across us. Flames leapt along panels of barb wire held together with lengths of pipe. These panels curved outwards as they approached the roughly twenty foot high ceiling. From the crude shaped dome, hundreds of chains rattled in a ghostly chorus as something descended towards us

Checking our weapons, we waited as a loud scraping arose from the ceiling. Holding my breath, I watched as a hellish visage of my father descended from the darkness. Bloated to the point of bursting, his white flabby flesh oozed brackish water onto us. Mottled leathery wings sprouted from his back nearly touching the opposite wall. Both arms were just stubs, the chains from the ceiling hooking into the sockets. More chains impaled him through his back and wrapped around his waist

The creature's face vaguely resembled my father's expect it possessed no nose, thick swollen lips, lidless black orb eyes and stringy hair matted with all kinds of decaying matter.

_"An overbearing, smothering presence who attempts to drown others in his vileness, to drag_ _them into the darkness and a demon incarnate_" I thought as I stared in awe at the creature above us

Fixing its lifeless eyes upon us, tentacles erupted from the floor and started inching closer to us. Thick, sinewy and covered in slime, the ends opened into a tiny mouth with thousands of needle like teeth. With a deafening roar from my father, the tentacles snapped forth like missiles seeking me out. JoAnn yanked me away as the tentacles crashed into the door.

"You'll never escape. The darkness shall have your souls." The father monster bellowed as he lowered himself within ten feet of the floor. Groaning, a noxious greasy slime spewed from his body turning the floor into a hockey rink.

Slipping on the fluid, JoAnn went down hard allowing a bunch of tentacles to snatch her legs. Screaming, she slid across the floor unable to stop herself. Coming to her aid, I blasted the tentacles to a bloody ruin then helped her up

Reloading again, I aimed at the main body only to have my gun nearly ripped from my grasp by a chain. Struggling free, I collided with JoAnn as she swerved around a tentacle at her feet.

"Look, I'll distract these tentacles and you go for the main body"

"JoAnn" but she cut off the words with a tender kiss on the lips

"Send him back to hell" Then JoAnn sprinted across the room with the tentacles nipping at her heels

Temporarily frozen, I watched her weave away with a graceful ease. Jumping to my feet, I sprinted under the bulk of my father aiming my gun up. Pulling both triggers, buckshot peppered his torso as he bellowed in pain. As I started to reload, chains snared around my body hoisting me into the air. The odor of rotten flesh assaulted my senses as I drew closer to the head. Gripping the gun tighter, I hoped my plan would work because if not I and JoAnn were both screwed. My father violently yanked me within inches of his deformed head. I tried not looking directly in his eyes for fear of going mad.

"You killed me in cold blood you bitch." My father blubbered as rank water spewed into my face "I will make you suffer but I kill you"

"Wrong fish face" I screamed as I shoved the gun against his head. I watched his eyes go wide as I pulled both triggers

White blubber flesh spewed everywhere like a can of Crisco had exploded. Brains and his left eye splatted across my face as his jaw hung limply from his face. The whole rig swung precariously as my father let loose a horrible chocking noise. I clung to the chain with my good as I clumsily reloaded with my right. Shells feel then bounced across the floor but I managed to reload two more shells. Letting go of my grip, I swung straight at the writhing body of my father screaming like Valkyrie. Pulling both triggers, the rest of his head exploded as I found myself plummeting.

A searing pain shot up my left leg as I heard a dry snap. Rolling on my back, I screamed as looked not at the dead body of my father but my leg which was bent at a sickening angle. Flopping back and forth, I felt the room shake as the torches flashed out one by one. JoAnn knelt beside me taking my hand as the air raid siren blared in the distance

Everything seemed suspended in time as darkness held us in its cold embrace. Like mist rolling off a lake, faint light stated seeping into the room. Around us, the shapes resembled a regular morgue which meant the hell descent had disappeared again. Once we were safe, JoAnn took my light and started examining my leg.

"Shit, this is a nasty break Meredith" She said

"Can. You. Set it" I responded weakly, on the verge of passing out

"I'll try okay" She told me as she ripped my pant leg

Finding my bear, I prepared for probably the worst pain in my life. Giving JoAnn the okay, she pulled my leg hard being rewarded with a pop like a gunshot. The pain flooded my whole body as I screamed until black dots swam in my vision. My head thumped dizzyingly as I vomited what little food I had eaten. JoAnn grabbed my hand as I sank into darkness against the cold cement floor.

When I awoke, I found myself leaning against the outside wall of Alchemilla Hospital. JoAnn knelt over me mopping my forehead with a deep concern stitched across her face

"JoAnn" I said my head feeling fuzzy

"Thank god, you've been out for nearly a half hour" She replied hugging me gently "It's over Meredith isn't it? Then nightmare is over right?"

"Yeah it is"

"So now what do we do?"

"I don't know" I replied, my leg feeling like a hot poker of pain. I feigned a glance at it and I nearly threw up again. "My truck and I are fucked and I doubt this town is going to let us go" I finished by collapsing in her arms bawling my eyes out. With a mother's touch, she held me soothing me as best as she could. Perhaps she knew what fate lay ahead for both us or perhaps she was trying to stay strong for me. Whatever the case, I knew the time was right for me to drop my secret

"JoAnn, I love"

"I know Meredith" She interrupted "you've always had a crush on me since high school. If you hadn't gone with Willow, you would have taken you chances with me. "

Helping me up, she placed her head directly against mine "I accept your love Meredith" Then she sealed it with a passionate kiss which temporarily banished all the pain and darkness surrounding us

Sighing morosely, JoAnn wiped away a tear as she said "There are exactly two rounds left but I don't know if I can"

"If you love me, you will" I whispered

As JoAnn thumbed the safety, we both turned our heads in unison at what sounded like a car engine. Forgetting our suicide pact, JoAnn sat me against the wall as she stood up. Straining her eyes, she searched the fog world but couldn't see anything in the dense gray clouds

"Think it's a trick?" I asked her

"I don't know but I am going to check it out" She answered me

"Take the shotgun. It still has six rounds left"

Handing me the handgun, JoAnn hesitated then leaned in for another kiss. With a final farewell, she sprinted off in the distance. When she was out of sight, I realized the chances of seeing her again were extremely slim. I didn't want to lose another girlfriend especially to the fucking place. Looking at my watch, I decided to give her exactly twenty minutes. If she didn't come back, at least I had a way to end my life.

Leaning against the wall, I held my bear as I recanted the day's events. My brother alive and a serial killer, finding my mother almost fell to the darkness and finally meeting my father for the last time. I wondered if I would ever be right again seeing all those monsters and the hell descent of Silent Hill. If JoAnn came back, we could both heal together and perhaps marry somebody

"I know you would be okay with us Willow" I said into the fog "Don't worry; I will never forget you and what you did for me today. I will always love you"

Looking at my watch, thirty minutes had passed instead of twenty. Looking at the fog then the gun, I struggled under the weight of JoAnn possible being dead this time for good. My mind played out scenarios of her being dragged underground into the pit or being rendered asunder by a monster. With such a brittle mental foundation, I couldn't bear that thought any longer.

"I love you JoAnn, Willow, and Momma. I will be seeing you guys real soon" I sniffled as I placed the gun against my head

With my trembling hands, I hoped I would end my life in one attempt. Closing my eyes, I pressed the gun tighter against my temple to prevent a miss. As my finger slid against the trigger, the sound of the engine grew louder. Dismissing it as another Silent Hill trick, I squeezed the trigger tighter until a harsh white light engulfed me. Blinded, I thought I was dead already as I wondered what I should do. When a familiar voice rang out, I dropped the gun as tears slid down my face. Peace and relief settled in my heart as the weight of the day evaporated.

"Meredith, hey Meredith" Sheriff Winters hollered out of the driver's window. Not watching where he was driving, the cruiser lurched over a curb. Bouncing along the street, the cruiser stopped just inches from me

Bolting out of the passenger door, JoAnn rushed to me embracing me in a hug "Sorry to make you worry kiddo. I got lost but the good Sheriff found me" She ended the sentence with a light kiss on the lips

Strolling over to us, Winters looked at me with a look of utter contempt. Running a hand over his hound dog face, he tapped his foot as he pointed an accusing finger at me

"Gosh dang it Meredith, you're in a heap of trouble." He scolded me putting emphasis on the last few words

"Sorry Winters" I replied sheepishly adverting my eyes

"I went by your place before I left for Silent Hill and bout had a shit fit when I found you gone" He said hitching his thumbs into his belt loops. "Then we found your truck all messed up and I prayed that asshole hadn't found you"

Blowing out a huff of air, his face softened as he smiled gently "Just glad you're okay girl. Now can we leave? This place is giving me a case of the willies"

With Winters on one side and JoAnn on the other, they hauled my battered carcass up. As they carried me to the cruiser, I decided to tell the Sheriff later about what happened. Right now, I needed at least a couple weeks to heal both physically and mentally. But if I told him what happened, I would edit out the part about the monsters and the town changing. In my state, it wouldn't surprise if Winters would commit me to a nut house.

Carefully, they placed me into the backseat as JoAnn crawled in besides me. As Winters backed out, my eyes started to feel like lead weights. Unable to fight it anymore, I found my bear then fell over onto JoAnn. Asleep before my head hit her lap, my dreams were filled of the happy times me and my mother shared sitting by Toluca Lake. Only in dreams though, Willow and JoAnn were both sitting by my side as the waves gently lapped into shore.

Two weeks later, the doctors finally discharged me from the hospital. Though they had healed all my physical wounds, including a badly fractured leg, the mental wounds still lingered. The doctors wanted me to stay longer for a psyche evaluation but I denied them. All I wanted was to go home and heal there with JoAnn by my side. She had been discharged a week earlier and had stayed by my side since. As hard as it was, she bared her soul to me, telling me about her father, her fears and what happened to her in the sewers. To help with my healing process, she had given me a friendship bracelet along with a pendant of two hearts intertwined

"It symbolizes our love Meredith" She had said helping me slip it on "I will always love you Meredith"

It felt wonderful to be in love again but I had my doubts if it was the right thing to do. My last lover had met a tragic death leaving me in a sort of limbo. What would happen if JoAnn died tomorrow especially with me in such a fragile state? I decided to play it by ear and love her day by day and if tragedy arose, I would deal with the consequences accordingly

After discharging me from the hospital, I went straight to the police department to brief Winters. He sat in stunned silence as I retold my tale twice for he didn't believe me the first time. I edited out the monsters and the hell descent even though I realized Winters just might believe me.

"Well sweet shit, your brother rises like Lazarus and turns into a bloody killer." He had said then chuckled softly "Should write a book about that Meredith. It could make you quite a fortune"

His idea sounded great but I didn't dare smear my mother's name anymore. Once we had finished at the police department, JoAnn drove me to the cemetery where I visited my mother's and Willow's grave

"Willow came to me JoAnn in Silent Hill. She gave me the strength to carry on and find you" I said placing a bouquet of sunflowers, her favorite, on her grave

Embracing me in a hug, JoAnn held me as an autumn kicked up leaves around us. I took it as a sign that Willow approved of us being together. Hand in hand, we left the cemetery behind ready to start healing and begin our lives anew


End file.
